Pet Supply Drive: March 2015

A local dental clinic is running a pet supply drive for the month of March 2015 to benefit Broken Tail Rescue.

FLYERS A local dental clinic is running a pet supply drive for the month of March 2015 to benefit Broken Tail Rescue.

Please consider donating pet food, treats, toys, blankets, collars and leashes to West Somerville Dental Associates at 124 College Ave. , Somerville (near Powder House Sq.). Call 617-625-0543 with any questions.

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Sit. Stay… Read!

Mr. November 2013
Mr. November 2013

Independent bookstores are a dying breed, even in Cambridge, where I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the dogs have PhD’s or at least master’s. So I am pleased to see Porter Square Books thriving and paying it forward by supporting Last Hope K-9 Rescue with its “Sit. Stay… Read!” 2013 benefit calendar. I am also proud to see Eddie among the local dogs featured on the calendar; he’s Mr. November in honor of the Barack’s Best Friend leash he was wearing when he posed for his photo in front of a stack of political books. Let’s hope that in November of 2013, Bo still has the run of the White House lawn.

The “Sit. Stay… Read!” calendar sells for $15, and all proceeds will go to support Last Hope’s mission to keep dogs out of kill shelters through foster and rescue programs. Stop by Porter Square Books and get your calendar while the supply lasts.

Also check out their program of author talks and events. One that caught my eye: Cambridge author, Boston Globe columnist and friend Joan Wickersham will be discussing her forthcoming collection of stories, The News From Spain: Seven Variations on a Love Story (Knopf, 2012) on Thursday, October 18 at 7 PM.

 

Danger Dogs Visit from Nepal

One of the Nepali Danger Dogs at Nomad
One of the Nepali Danger Dogs at Nomad

Have no fear, the Danger Dogs at Nomad will not bite. Hand-painted in Nepal, the Danger Dogs are a fair trade art project to benefit traditional Nepali signboard artists whose livelihood is endangered by digital technology.  Continue reading “Danger Dogs Visit from Nepal”

Fairy DogParents to the Rescue!

Ali, one of 300 dogs Fairy DogParents has sponsored since 2009.

Have you ever wished for a fairy godmother to get you through a rough patch? (If you haven’t, then congratulations; you’ve led an exceptionally charmed life!) Well, some dog owners could use a little extra help, too, but until recently, there was no one to call upon to wave a magic wand. That’s why Marlo Manning founded Fairy DogParents, a nonprofit that has made wishes come true for over 300 dog owners (“DogParents”) since its founding in March 2009. Continue reading “Fairy DogParents to the Rescue!”

Life in the Slow Lane

Max (L) and Holly
Max (L) and Holly

In their prime they could have outrun the cars whizzing down my Cambridge side street, but, these days, greyhounds Max and Holly are among the slower-moving canine residents in my Huron Village neighborhood. Walking with measured grace, the two former sprinters circle the block several times a day with companion Cindy Sorensen, a retired teacher and longtime Cambridge resident.

Cindy says that thirteen-year-old Holly, who won an impressive 18 of her 104 career races as “Skiddy Exodus,” still perks up when she spots a squirrel, but she describes Max, age 10, as “more mellow.” Their mechanical rabbit chasing days behind them, neither seems inclined to pursue any of the neighborhood’s burgeoning bunny population. When they see other greyhounds, however, they all do love to chase and race each other, Cindy says.

Holly and Max are the latest in a succession of greyhounds to enjoy life in the slow lane living on Huron Avenue with Cindy. Her first rescue, in 1992, was a young male named Spinnaker who had broken his leg racing; instead of putting him down, Spinnaker’s owner gave him to Greyhound Friends, Inc., where Cindy adopted him. Spinnaker lived to be 13-1/2, and since then Cindy has adopted seven senior greyhounds: Cain, Bridget, Dream, Ty, Maggie (all deceased) and most recently, Holly and Max. Continue reading “Life in the Slow Lane”