German shepherds in Los Angeles County have a new ally in one of the internet’s favorite cute animal social media accounts.

The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control is collaborating with WeRateDogs on a promotion to increase adoptions this month at the county’s shelters.

The shelters have partnered with WeRateDogs, known for doling out humorous and heartwarming pet scores, for an event to help adult German shepherds in L.A. County find new homes.

Throughout February, German shepherds and German shepherd mixes at all DACC animal care centers can be adopted without having to pay an adoption fee. The only bill adopters will be responsible for is the dog license, officials said.

Eligible dogs are those that are a year or older, as DACC and WeRateDogs focus on finding new homes for senior dogs.

Matt Nelson is the founder of WeRateDogs, which has amassed more than 20 million combined followers across various social media platforms. He created the account as a freshman in college, and since then, it has exploded in popularity and reach.

WeRateDogs is exactly as it sounds. A user submits a photo of their dog for a rating and the account responds with a score on a scale of 1 out of 10 — except no dog receives a score less than 10.

The scoring system conveys a simple message, despite some occasional criticism: they’re all good dogs.

Since finding internet fame, Nelson has tried to give back to animals in need. In 2016, he started a GoFundMe campaign to help a dog in need of a wheelchair. Since 2017, the WeRateDogs community has raised money every Friday to help families pay for their dogs’ medical bills.

In August 2020, Nelson adopted Doug, a 10-year-old German shepherd from Deity Animal Rescue, one of DACC’s adoption partners. Doug had chronic health issues and wasn’t getting along with other dogs. Nelson brought him home and he also became a star, serving as WeRateDogs’ unofficial CEO.

After adopting Doug, he established the 15/10 Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity that helps address the needs of shelter dogs with behavioral or medical challenges.

Late last year, Doug passed away, leaving Nelson with a hole to fill and a mission to honor his legacy.

“Since Doug’s passing, I’ve been contemplating the best way to honor him specifically and purposefully,” he wrote on Twitter. “Adopting a senior dog was the most rewarding experience of my life, so I figured we could start there.”

He announced the partnership with Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control, with his foundation covering the adoption costs for eligible German shepherds.

“Right now, that is 76 dogs, affectionately known as Doug’s Buds,” he wrote. “If you are in a position to responsibly adopt a dog, it would mean the world to me if you started your journey by considering them, the oldest and the wonkiest.”

For people outside of L.A. County, 15/10 Foundation will also help cover adoption fees for German shepherds 5 years and older through its website.

“The 15/10 Foundation and WeRateDogs has harnessed the power of the internet to make life-changing differences in the lives of pets and their owners,” said DACC Director Marcia Mayeda. “This partnership is a tremendous opportunity to remove some barriers to adoption, and show a larger audience that our animals have the potential to earn top marks as family pets.”

Social media has been a powerful tool for animal shelters across the globe as Millennials and Gen Z have shown to be more likely to adopt rather than buy their next pet compared to any other age demographic, DACC said.

The partnership with Nelson and WeRateDogs represents a “new frontier” for DACC as it looks to expand its influence on social media and reach a larger audience of potential adopters.

Nelson said he is confident his account’s longtime followers and supporters will help make a difference in L.A. County shelters.

“We promised Doug we wouldn’t let him down, and this is a wonderful step to ensure that,” he said. “Adopting a senior dog was the most rewarding experience of my life. I hope many other families begin the same journey this February.”

For more information about the adoption initiative and to see the adoptable pets at these shelters, click here.