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.
My regular seat on the couch with Matty and Polar.
I was honored to be one of the citizens asking a question (in my case on behalf of LGBTQ Minus Tobacco) at the September 28, 2022 Vallejo City Council District 5 Candidate Forum that was put up by Leachman Park Neighborhood Association.
This also happened to be just a few days after the Black Live Matters mural was painted on the road in front of City Hall. I did my best to take it from the conference room that I was in, but the drone shots are of course much better.
Even though this wasn’t my district, I was happy to be there to participate since I’ve been in front of City Council a number of times, and I’ll very likely be in front of whoever wins this seat in the future. I already knew four of the five candidates from one venue or another.
I’ve been an activist against Big Tobacco since the early 1990’s when my father died at the age of fifty from his addiction to nicotine and it gave me a primary reason to go to law school.
Whenever I can I’m going to continue to fight against an industry that targets youth and queer people in particular with insidious tactics. Getting data by conducting surveys is one way I can do that. LGBTQ Minus Tobacco has given me great opportunities to fight locally, as I had been doing more regionally and nationally when I lived in New York City.
I’ve been an activist against Big Tobacco since the early 1990’s when my father died at the age of fifty from his addiction to nicotine and it gave me a primary reason to go to law school.
Whenever I can I’m going to continue to fight against an industry that targets youth and queer people in particular with insidious tactics. Getting data by conducting surveys is one way I can do that. LGBTQ Minus Tobacco has given me great opportunities to fight locally, as I had been doing more regionally and nationally when I lived in New York City.
This is our second September hosting a VGN Potluck, although our plan is to do so in March 2023. It just so happened that month had worked out for us. We’re getting better at hosting and we think that the outdoor encouragement works better for the traffic. It was a great time and we had some dignitaries attend as well.
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.
We’re happy to show a picture of Dinky, who we had fostered for several months, after her operation. She is a twelve-year-old tiny red chihuahua and she had a huge tumor in her mouth which didn’t even allow her to close her mouth all the way. There are lots of pictures from previous months in which you can see it, although you might think it’s her sticking out her tongue.
Dinky went through a lot from what we understood. We were told that her guardian was murdered by her own son in Benicia and afterward the other son was unable to take care of her.
Dinky loved to worship the sun at our house and got along with all the dogs, never intimidated by the largest of dogs next to her. I think she was respected universally and never had to growl. You’ll even see her playing with a few of the dogs as if she was a puppy. We knew she was pretty healthy because she had a wonderful appetite, so we were glad to fatten her up for surgery. We’re so glad that we were able to foster Dinky until she found a permanent home with another animal she gets along with very well.
I volunteered with the Humane Society of the North Bay on July 4 at the Barbara Kondylis Waterfront Green. There were some amazing kites and it was good to bring a lot of exposure to the shelter.
