As a Board member and current Board Secretary of the Humane Society of the North Bay, I table a lot of events. This one was well-documented. We had a lot of great volunteers there and it was a well-attended event. It was only the second year, too!
Us and dogs (in the heat):
Our dogs (one guest dog photobombed):
Guest dogs:
Short video of some guest dogs in September:
Willy and Ginger become fast friends in garage:
Typical excitement whenever Fink visits
Through another set of sad circumstances, Matty (who was thusly named because he was found as a stray in Vallejo and completely matted over) was brought to us for a crisis “foster” from our veterinarian. This dog clung to me as if he knew me his whole life from the minute I picked him up. He has a hugging hold on me (perhaps because he is blind or at least vision impaired like a baby or how I imagine a primate would cling). He definitely knows his name, even though it was only given to him a few months prior when he was found by his previous foster mother. What kind of monster had let a senior, small, blind dog wander around a city with no collar or microchip?
Even more sadly, the woman that found him and had him for a few months had a serious domestic violence attack against her. Her police officer brothers came from another state and moved her back while her partner went to jail. Matty apparently could not go with her.
We were told Matty just wanted to cuddle all day and that is no exaggeration. Here he is (flanking me) with his instant new friend (brother?), who has only been with us a few months himself, Polar.
Joe and a mix of our own and guest dogs:
There are, of course, some guest dogs mixed in with our own here.
…with Monte & Cappy. We figured these were our three dogs most likely to appreciate it. We have a 17-year-old Pom-chi (Timber) who is a little frail who we bring out sometimes, but the beachhead is a little rough for her. Our other dog is blind and generally uncomfortably nervous whenever he gets in a car for some reason that I suspect has to do with his previous guardians.
Polar’s hair is still growing in, but he minded pretty well and he certainly loves car rides. He’ll be going out with us regularly I’m sure. He’s also not deaf like Monte, so he’s a little easier to communicate with, although Monte minds pretty well regardless.
Copper and Lola are well-matched to wrestle:
Fink and Bucko early in the morning:
Montage of other dog videos from July:
Polar was almost an immediate foster fail, which means we decided he would become part of our family in part because it might be hard to have him adopted and in part because he fit in well.
It was through a circuitous route that this senior never-ending-story-looking dog ended up in our home probably in part because of our volunteering and activism for the Humane Society of the North Bay. We know that he needed to be homed on a crisis basis and that seniors generally are much less adoptable, especially if they have special needs or medical problems, acute or long-term.
Polar’s personality is such a winner. He truly does the hug and affectionate eyes closed to almost every dog and person he meets, which makes him so endearing. He is making himself at home, despite some medical issues he had. Our vet found a foxtail embedded in his gums and he had an open gash in his backside which required stitches. This is why he got sheared in the rear looking sort of like a lion with a mane for a while. We put him on some medicine to clear up things so that he would become a lot healthier. He’s about ten years old and very healthy otherwise. In the video below he is playing (post-op) with a small guest dog, but fortunately Polar gets along with everyone.
Shando selfies:
Timber and Snowball make themselves comfortable for naps with guest dogs and each other!
