Note from dog
NOTE FROM DOG
FROM MY DOG HOUSE TO YOURS
February 11, 2022
Greetings to All!
Welcome to a brand-new Love, Dog!
Normally, I hand NOTE FROM DOG over to a pup who has earned a starring role in a current story, but this time around, I asked them if I might have their permission to write this NOTE because a lot has happened since we sent our last one at the end of November.
You wouldn’t necessarily know it, but we’ve rebuilt the site for you. Yes, from scratch! We believed we could deliver a better, more dynamic user experience. From our point of view, if we’re going to ask you to purchase a membership in exchange for full access to our content, then we ought to reach for the North Star. And, when the final decision was made to rebuild, we also thought it was the perfect time to reimagine the general vibe. I think in Love, Dog “2.0,”—and I say this with humility—we’ve accomplished what we set out to do. And, we know the final judgement of our work is in your hands.
Over the Christmas break, feeling the need for an adventure, I hopped into the car and drove to Miami. That was a first! On the drive back to New York, I visited four animal shelters: Miami-Dade Animal Services Pet Adoption & Protection Center; Nassau Humane Society in Fernandina Beach, FL (Amelia Island); Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) in Aiken, SC; and lastly, the Middleburg Humane Foundation in Marshall, VA. It was a maiden voyage of sorts—an opportunity to meet face-to-face with the Executive Directors and shelter staff, tour the facilities, and, of course, meet the dogs. It’s hard to describe how hard these people work—in many cases, as volunteers. They often take in dogs with unimaginable injuries and life-threatening health issues, performing nothing short of miracles to save them and make them well. They’re quintessential caregivers who serve with boundless compassion while also working tirelessly to raise money, maintain the shelter, and find the dogs their forever homes. I was moved to tears by witnessing what seems aptly described as love in action, and I was also deeply moved interacting with as many dogs as possible: looking into their eyes, hugging them, knowing they hoped I might be the one. You know that feeling when you wish you could take them all.
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In Rescue Stories this month, you’ll meet Sue Naiden. Sue is the president of Trio Animal Foundation in Chicago. There’s a reason we named the story Rescues from the Edge. She takes these dogs in when they’re often close to death due to neglect and abuse, and she saves them. Some, like Ziggy and Antler, whom I’ve followed and fallen in love with from afar, she makes her own. The story is both shocking and incredibly heartwarming on many fronts! That’s the Trio clan pictured above.
There’s much more . . .
- This month’s BIG DOG STORY explores the surprising (and often traumatic) voyage rescue dogs endure before reaching their forever home and offers sage advice about helping your newest family member adjust to their new life.
- In this original screenplay based on true events, actor and screenwriter Eric Colton lets us in on what it’s like falling in love and marrying a wonderful woman only to be given a very hard time by her dog, who just can’t seem to warm up to him.
- In Adopting Old Souls, University of Tennessee Professor and Veterinarian Zenny Ng gives us a comprehensive look at adopting senior dogs—perhaps the most compassionate way to give an old dog a new “leash” on life.
And, there are plenty of other riveting dog tales of redemption and renewal. In Howler’s Hill, a sweet Husky forges a new friendship with an elderly neighbor. Then, in Chronicles of Brooklyn: Lesson #4, Brooklyn helps us see how every day, and every moment, can be a new beginning; Hektor offers redecorating advice to other dogs; a beloved dog is remembered in heartbreaking fashion; and, on a lighter note, a woman questions why her dog smells like pee. This month’s Style & Design story by our own Kristopher Fraser offers up fresh ideas to keep your dog warm this winter. In Moment in Time, Christopher Lawrence shares some Hollywood history about Katharine Hepburn and her Cocker Spaniel, Mica, on set.
Enjoy!
Mark Drucker
Human Founder & Publisher
PS: If you’re not already a paying member of Love, Dog, would you consider becoming one? We ask for—and need—your support to keep the mission going! Our Membership Plans are right here!
