Winter 2024

C armel and its surrounding cities are unparalleled for people who love animals and treat pets as family members. You won’t find a better place in which to live or visit with a non-human in tow. In fact, Carmel has been rated the most dog-friendly town in America, according to the city’s website which goes on to explain how “hotels, shops and restaurants roll out the red car- pet” for visiting pets. Don’t forget rental bikes with side-cars for pups, doggie dining, canine massages and “yappy hours.” You’ll find it all in our hamlet. There’s also no shortage of incredible animal-related non- profits taking care of everything from the rescue and rehabili- tation of our furry friends to paying for emergency veterinary bills to help their humans. Recently, I witnessed the good works of two of these groups, simultaneously. Our oldest dog, Lucy, was 17-years- old, but chugging along happily until a medical incident struck her on November 2nd. That day, we were flying home from Phoenix, but a mechanical issue created a 90-minute delay. During those lost minutes, our sweet old gal slipped away. Our dog sitter was with Lucy, but ;The following week, I went to Peace of Mind Dog Rescue (POMDR) to investigate whether we could honor Lucy, a res- cue, by taking in another “super-senior.” POMDR’s mission is to find loving foster and forever homes for dogs whose guardians can no longer care for them as well as for senior dogs in shel- ters. Not following my husband’s spoken wishes, but doing what I knew was in his heart, I went to POMDR to meet an old pug. Surprisingly, it was a small terrier mix, Dingo, who stole my heart. He’d been with POMDR for many months, the longest of any resident. Sitting with a handful of cheerful volun- teers in an engaging, clean, outdoor space and watching Dingo and other happy pups made me prideful of the caliber of self- less folks who live here—those who keep our (often trauma- tized) animals happy and healthy while orchestrating a fresh start for them. I brought Dingo home the next day for a play- date with our remaining pack of three dogs. As I returned Dingo to the POMDR veterinary clinic where he lives, grateful volunteers made me feel like some kind of hero. Me—who’d done next to nothing. At that moment, a vet tech from a neighboring clinic was urgently seeking a surgeon who’d be able to remove a blockage from a cat’s intestines. It was closing time on a Saturday and a holiday weekend. Finding help would be difficult and costly—thousands of dollars.The vet tech explained that the family, like so many others in a financial crisis, felt their only option left was to surrender their baby. Hearing this, I butted into the conversation, asking if the family had contacted Max’s Helping Paws Foundation (of which I’m a board member). Max’s, based in Carmel, is a nonprofit that pays life-saving chunks of emergency vet bills—usually within min- utes—for responsible pet owners. “They just applied,” the vet tech replied. I ran next door and met the family of the sick cat, Simba. His big brother was holding back tears. His mother looked defeated.They’d already sent the application, but I could see the doubt in their eyes. I pleaded with them to hold onto hope. In tears myself, I called our executive director who was already working on the request. She posted an “urgent need” message on social media, and within hours this dog-cat-animal- loving community stepped up, with donations ranging from $10 to more than $1,000. Simba got his surgery and was happily home two days later. His family felt like they were part of a mir- acle. So did I. But, living for more than 30 years in a community surrounded by such generous souls, that feeling wasn’t a first. German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s famous quote, “We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals,” is perfect for the small but mighty village of Carmel and its neigh- boring towns.We have well-loved, respected pets because we also have some of the most fantastic, caring humans in the world to make sure it’s so. One veterinarian, one nonprofit, one volunteer and one animal at a time. If you are considering a holiday gift this year, here is a partial list of nonprofits that help animals in our area: Peace of Mind Dog Rescue, Max’s Helping Paws, Animal Friends Rescue Project, Our Neighborhood Pet Project, Golden Oldies Cat Rescue, BirchBark Foundation, SNIP Bus and SPCA Monterey County. BEHIND THE SPOTLIGHT D I N A R U I Z One veterinarian, one nonprofit, one volunteer and one animal at a time. Where Peace and Paws Meet 54 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 4