Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 19, 2013

10

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

 Mountain Views News Saturday, January 19, 2013 


YOTE & RUE DE - A Story of Brotherly Love

 
Just when I think I’ve met the sweetest, 
most loveable canine companions I could 
ever hope to meet, yet another furry four-
legger comes along and proves me wrong! 
I’m specifically referring to a relatively 
new doggy client of mine named Yote 
(pronounced “Yotee”) who moved to Sierra 
Madre just a couple of months ago with 
his human mom, Debra Herzog. Debra 
discovered the charm and enchantment 
of Sierra Madre’s canyon village during 
a visit to our town this past Fall, and she 
describes her experience that day as “Love 
at first sight”. Although she liked her current 
home in the Hollywood Hills at the time, 
she was stricken by the peaceful nature 
of our lovely little berg. The small town 
atmosphere and character of the canyon 
coupled with the beauty of the foothills that 
line the sky behind us were very much part 
of what won Debra’s heart. She immediately 
decided to start looking for a home in our 
cozy community, and after checking out 
several listings, she did indeed find what she 
considers to be just the right place for her 
and her precious pup, Yote.

 Debra and Yote’s quaint canyon cottage 
is tucked tightly into the top of the lower 
canyon, just below the Woodland water 
basin, with an enormous evergreen tree 
shading a front yard that is just perfect 
for Yote to play in. Debra rescued Yote, a 
gorgeous and gregarious golden corgi chow 
mix from an LA animal shelter nearly a year 
ago when he was just a puppy. He had been 
abandoned along with his siblings in an 
apartment, and when the authorities came 
to take the puppies to the shelter, he was left 
behind yet again. It seemed that little dog 
was destined to be alone without a loving 
home, but in a remarkable stroke of luck 
(or, I like to think more likely by way of a 
miracle) someone heard him crying in the 
apartment next door and called animal 
control. The little left-behind pup was finally 
rescued and brought to the shelter, where 
he was found to have distemper. Because he 
was so sick, he stood less chance of being 
adopted, but Debra knew when she met 
Yote, that they were meant to be together, 
so she readily accepted the challenge of 
getting him healthy and giving him a happy 
life. Well, let me just say, Debra has done a 
beautiful job in meeting both of those goals 
on Yote‘s behalf.

 Due to a demanding work schedule, 
Debra found herself unable to spend as 
much time as she’d like with Yote, and she 
didn’t want to leave him home alone during 
the day, so she enrolled him at a local 
doggy daycare where he could interact 
with other dogs. In fact, Debra tried out a 
few different daycare facilities in search of 
the perfect place, and everywhere she took 
him, Yote became known as the official 
“activities director”! Yote is such a social 
guy, he refuses to leave anyone out of the 
fun. He showed affection to all his canine 
classmates, and even engaged the less social 
dogs in participation with the rest of the 
group. At every daycare Yote visited, Debra 
was told the same thing; “That is one special 
dog with a very big heart. He makes it his 
mission to help other dogs get involved and 
come out of their shells.”

 After moving to Sierra Madre, Debra 
called me for dog walking services, and soon 
embarked on a quest to seek out a brother or 
sister for Yote, so he could have a constant 
companion to play with at home. Having 
inquired about 10 or 15 different dogs 
without finding a good match, on the Friday 
just before Christmas Debra heard about a 
chow mix at Devore, which is known to be a 
high-kill shelter in San Bernardino County. 
This particular dog was scheduled to be 
euthanized that Sunday morning, so with 
no time to spare Debra asked the shelter to 
hold out long enough for her to come with 
his potential new brother, Yote to see if it was 
a good match. The next day, after explaining 
to Yote that they were going to meet what 
she hoped would be his new constant 
companion, Debra took Yote with her to 
the shelter where they met a very broken, 
sickly and desperate dog that happened to 
look very much like Yote. Debra told Yote, 
“Do your thing, buddy, go and show some 
of that good love you’ve got in your heart to 
this guy, because he really needs it.“ Within 
moments, and in his typical prime form, 
Yote managed to brighten that would-be 
“death-row” doggie’s spirits and had him 
wagging his tail and warming up to both he 
and Debra as if to say, “Please take me home 
with you.” Debra and Yote both knew that 
this was the right dog to add to their family.

 Next, Debra needed to decide on a 
good name for Yote’s 
new found four-footed 
friend, and she chose the 
French-spelled name 
RueDe (pronounced 
“Rudy“), partly because 
Yote’s favorite toy is 
“Rudy the Reindeer” 
and partly because of 
the significance of the 
French word “rue“, 
which happens to have a 
few different meanings. 
In French, the word 
“rue” can refer to several types of plants, 
and it is also used as a cooking term, but the 
significance of the term “rue” being defined 
as a road or street is why it best applied 
to Debra’s new rescued buddy, because he 
was found carousing the streets near Paris 
(Paris, California, that is). Remarkably, 
RueDe responded almost immediately to 
his new name, and Yote recognized RueDe 
as his new brother, without as much as a 
question.

 Debra, Yote and RueDe’s story touched 
my heart, mainly because of the out-
pouring of kindness on Debra’s part, and 
the out-pouring of brotherly love between 
those two grateful dogs. Every time I hear 
success stories of shelter-pet adoption I find 
it hard to hold back the tears brought on 
by knowing that those animals would have 
otherwise been euthanized, but instead 
were given a second chance at life and have 
brought immense joy to their new human 
companions. There is nothing like love 
to heal the heart of a broken spirit, and 
brotherly love between two dogs hopefully 
inspires us all to behave in the same way.

 Debra has watched Yote grow from a 
sickly abandoned puppy into an adult dog 
who has the gift of kindness and compassion 
that he shares with every being that comes 
across his path. Now she is watching RueDe 
grow into a trusting, loving companion for 
Yote and for this Debra is very grateful. She 
now has two precious pups in her home who 
seem to understand how fortunate they are 
to have been rescued from what could have 
been a frightful fate and given a second 
chance at not only life, but a very healthy 
and happy life where they can shine their 
light on others and bring joy to the many 
people they meet. And so, as I often do, I 
will end this heart-warming, very happy 
tale with two of my favorite phrases; Love 
and let live! - and - Thank God for the dog! 
Life is too short not to share our inner gifts 
and the love we have in our hearts, and to 
me there is no more rewarding way to share 
our gifts and love, than with a dog who will 
give back the same, unconditionally.

Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

PET OF THE WEEK 

ESHEL: #A45330008

Meet the lovable 
Ethel (A4533008)! 
Ethel is a vivacious 
five month old tan 
and white spayed 
female Dutch 
Shepherd mix puppy 
who was found in 
Baldwin Park with 
her sister Lucy (who 
has already been 
adopted separately), 
and brought to 
the Baldwin Park 
Animal Care Center. 
Weighing thirty-
three pounds and likely to grow to sixty pounds, sweet Ethel is an 
enthusiastic blank slate when it comes to training. This frolicsome 
puppy loves dogs, children and life itself and she cannot decide 
which activity she wants to do more - chase a ball or lick your 
face! Ethel was made for children and will make an outstanding 
indoor pet for an active family living in a private home. To 
watch a video of Ethel and Lucy please visit: www.youtube.com/
watch?v=3K5Z_TvDjMg

To meet Ethel in person, please see her at the Baldwin Park Animal 
Care Center, located at 4275 N. Elton St., Baldwin Park, CA 
91706 (Phone: 626-430-2378 or 626-962-3577). She is currently 
available now. For any inquiries about Ethel, please reference 
her animal ID number: A4533008. The shelter is open seven 
days a week, 12 pm-7 pm Monday-Thursday and 10am-5pm 
Friday-Sunday. This is a high-intake shelter with a great need for 
adoptions. For more information about Ethel or the adoption 
process, please contact United Hope for Animals Volunteer 
Adoption Coordinator Samantha at Samantha@hope4animals.
org. To learn more about United Hope for Animals’ partnership 
with the Baldwin Park Shelter through its Shelter Support 
Program, as well as the many dogs of all breeds, ages, and 
sizes available for adoption in local shelters, visit http://www.
unitedhope4animals.org/about-us/shelter-support-program/.


Support Rhae Rhae's Rescue 
Train and Marina Sanctuary 
Buy raffle tickets for an Avon gift bas-
ket, donated by Lisa Samaniego 
The value of the gift basket exceeds $50 
Purchase tickets by mail by cash/check to 
P O Box 971 
South Pasadena, CA 91031 
Include note with name and phone number so we can 
contact you if you win. Prices are $1 each 
6 for $5 
20 for $10 
50 for $20 
We will also be selling tickets in the Monrovia/Duarte 
area, with the prize basket available for viewing. 
Email us for location information, or with questions: 
DAVIDLUVS2ACT@GMAIL.COM 
DRAWING IS FEBRUARY 7th, in time for Valentine's 
Day!!! Winner needn't be present to win. If you buy 
some raffle tickets, YOU WILL SAVE LIVES!