From the desk of Bay Woof Publisher M. Rocket
Happy New Year, loyal Bay Woof--ers. You hold in your hands our combined January/February issue, and we'll soon be taking our winter break. The next issue, March 2009, will mark our two-year anniversary and bring you the winners of our first annual Beast of the Bay Awards - our reader's picks for their (and their canine companions') favorite people, places, and things in the Bay Area. We're extending the deadline to January 31. Until then, you can: 1) vote online, or 2) mail in a hard copy ballot (see page 8 of the current issue, or pick up a ballot at a Bay Woof distribution point). Another option is to drop by the Beast of the Bay Ballot Party at Stray Bar in San Francisco on Saturday, January 31 (details below).
The current issue presents adoption success stories from Bay Area shelters and rescue groups in a feature called Happy Tails 2008. Editor Mindy Toomay asked me to write this month's Wag and tell my own story in that vein, so here goes.
When I decided to share my life with a new dog, I knew it would be a rescue. After all, helping to re-home unwanted dogs is an important part of Bay Woof's mission. I went to several adoption fairs in the area to check out their dogs-in-need lists. Considering I'm named Rocket, it's no surprise that I sought out Rocket Dog Rescue (www.rocketdogrescue.org).
RDR founder Pali Boucher was determined to match me with the perfect pal. When she called to say she had found her, I was thrilled.
As it turns out, Stella (then Kali), isn't your run of the mill Bay Area dog (as if ANY dog could ever be described that way), since she hails from Taiwan. I looked up my new pup on Wikipedia and found that she closely resembles the indigenous dogs of the Formosan Mountains. She's definitely a mountain climber - no fence will keep her in, by golly - and her ears and physique look exactly like the models in the examples.
Adjusting from the mean streets of Taiwan to life in the Bay Area has been a breeze for her ("What? They make food for dogs, not of dogs? And it's organic even?"). Now her days are spent lunging after pigeons and lounging on my bed. I look forward to many years of companionship with my new friend, the charming character that is Stella. I'm really grateful we found each other, across half a planet. We're still in our honeymoon period and definitely in love. (And in that vein, don't miss Todd Walton's canine Valentine story.)
Thank you, readers, advertisers, contributors, and distributors, for your enthusiastic support of Bay Woof. We look forward to serving the Bay Area dog community for many years to come!
- Rocket,
Bay Woof Publisher and Art Director
BEAST OF THE BAY AWARDS VOTING PARTY
Saturday, January 31, 2-5 PM
StrayBar, 309 Cortland Ave., San
Francisco
Don't miss your chance to vote for your favorite dog-friendly people, places, and things in Bay Woof's first annual Beast of the Bay Awards. We have extended the deadline for ballots to January 31, when we'll throw a voting party at Stray Bar in San Francisco. Come join us for a raffle, entertainment, costumes, and loads of fun co-mingling of sociable dogs and humans!
P.S. Read all about the award winners in our next issue, March 2009. StrayBar is a popular Bernal Heights watering hole. Human revelers must be 21 or older.
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