April 11th is National Pet Day and it's no secret that Stray Dog loves the pets in our lives. We feel that they are the inspirations behind so much of what we do and who we are. So, we wanted to share some of our best buds with you!
Jane
Creative Director
For the first time in 30 years, Billy and I don't have a dog. We had to say goodbye to our sweet Mamie this past winter and will eventually welcome another stray into our lives soon. We still share our home with our outdoor cat, Kitty, who's proper name is Claudia. Kitty's mother appeared at our house shortly after we moved in 20 years ago and sneakily gave birth to 4 kittens. One of Kitty's sisters, Pinky, is still alive and is living with my sister (who inherited Pinky from my mom!). Kitty has been a fabulous pet and has been outdoor cat for most of her life. We find it really amazing that she is still alive and exploring because we live in such a wooded, remote area that is chock full of coyotes, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, groundhogs... I swear, I think she had some sort of deal with all the creatures.. almost like she charged them rent or something as she is clearly well respected by her would-be predators! Now that she is so old and deaf she sleeps inside a fair amount of the time and watches over us.
Billy
Director
Like Jane said, this is the first time we have been without a dog in our house since 1994. We will fill this void up in due time. So I will spotlight my past pets, Gladys and Fern! These were my darling and naughty pandemic pygmy goats. In an effort to save my marriage (these marauders would sneak out and root around in Jane's garden too often), these girls moved to a menagerie farm filled with new found friends and are living happily. I will never forget them as they followed me everywhere for three years. I was even known as "the goat man" on the trails around Lookout Mountain!
Santiago
Customer Service Lead
This is my Gala, a Great Pyrenees I got when she was only 2.5 months. She is now 7 years old and loves to adventure. Her favorite activity in the whole world is playing in the lake here in San Miguel. She loves to fetch the sticks that I throw to the water. She gets into anything and everything she can find and really enjoys getting muddy, which is not always my favorite thing!
Alicia
Marketing Manager
As a new addition to the team, what better way to introduce myself than through my pets? I have a goofy looking corgi named Petey and a grey tabby named Pabst.
Pabst, who I did name after the iconic blue, red, and white beer we all may remember from college, goes by Pabsty Poo. I found him in the Lowes parking lot my boyfriend turned husband worked at throughout college. He's been with me for 13 years and is truly the best boy. I love him dearly and even have a tattoo of him! He loves to lick window screens, we don't know why. He also prefers to be held like a baby so he can rest his head on your shoulder. He'll even yowl and reach up to be picked up.
Petey has lots of nicknames - Peterbuilt, Peter Parker, Petey Wetey... Peter is his proper name when he is bad. Petey is a newer addition to my family! We brought him home last February—about a year and a half after we said goodbye to our 14-year-old corgi, Banjo, who we were lucky enough to love for 10 years. We happened upon an estate sale where he was running around in the backyard. The estate sale host was looking for a home for him. After a game of fetch, we knew he was coming home with us. I love to joke that I got our dog at an estate sale! He loves people, chasing birds, and playing tug of war. Definitely one of the best "thrift" finds I've ever gotten!
