Del Rio Grande 0218

FEBRUARY 2018

WAGS TO RICHES WOOL AND MOHAIR HERITAGE FINDING FOREVER

FEBRUARY 2018

$3.99

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FROM THE EDITOR

For the love of pets PUBLISHER Sandra Castillo EDITOR Karen Gleason CREATIVE DIRECTOR Megan Tackett WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Brian Argabright Rubén Cantú Karen Gleason Adriana Ibarra Megan Tackett ADVERTISING Kim Dupill Ashley Lopez Albert Treviño PRODUCTION Jorge Alarcon Roland Cardenas Adriana Ibarra EDITORIAL karen.gleason@delrionewsherald.com 830-775-1551, Ext. 247 ADVERTISING ashley.lopez@delrionewsherald.com 830-775-1551, Ext. 250 STORY IDEAS karen.gleason@delrionewsherald.com

2205 North Bedell Avenue • Del Rio, TX 78840 delrionewsherald.com Del Rio Grande is published by the Del Rio News-Herald.

No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine.

Editorial and advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative.

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“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

- Anatole France French novelist and poet, Nobel Prize winner If there’s one thing we love nearly as much as our children, it has to be our pets.

Currently, I share my life and my home with a number of four-legged family members.

There is Tigger Too, whom you see in the photo above, helping me edit the copy for this issue. I scooped him up as a kitten one winter night several years ago after I saw him blithely trotting across four lanes of traffic on Bedell Avenue and strutting into the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express as though he owned the place.

As the front doors of the hotel slid open, the desk clerk was treated to the sight of this small beast walking in with his tail held high and his head up and me in hot pursuit. The clerk looked at me, frowning, and asked, “Is that your cat, ma’am?”

“He is now,” I replied.

Tigger joined the rest of my company of cats: Tigger, who has since gone over the Rainbow Bridge, Pep and The Tater, whom I adopted when my son could no longer keep her in his Dallas apartment.

At other times in my life, I’ve had dogs, including Gleason’s Golden Gwenhwyfar – Goldie – a standard collie we lost to cancer in the 1990s.

My pets have taught me life’s most important lessons, which the poet Mary Oliver describes as follows: “To live in this world/you must be able/to do three things: to love what is mortal;/to hold it against your bones knowing/your own life depends in it;/and, when the time comes to let it go,/to let it go.”

Our love for our animal companions prompted us here at Grande to devote our February issue to the animals whose lives we have changed and who, in turn, have changed ours and to bring you some of their stories.

Enjoy!

Karen Gleason Grande Editor

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CONTENTS 10

FINDING FOREVER Del Rio’s Morneau family saves and fosters canines in need.

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WAGS TO RICHES A veterinary hospital gives desperate dogs a second chance.

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A GRANDE LIFE: AMY MORGAN A longtime local foster gets real about Del Rio’s stray animal situation.

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CLOSET PAW-FIDENTIAL Mia and Zoey Hernandez teach you a thing or two about fashion and style.

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PET PICKS Pamper your furry family members with these fun treats and toys.

On the cover:

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This easy, tasty recipe is sure to make your dog drool more than usual.

Friends of Del Rio Animals president talks about the love that inspires her.

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BONE APPETIT

BRINGING HOME BEN Del Rio native Marcela Fuentes writes about finding just the right dog to share her life.

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DIY DOG TOY You and your pooch will have hours of fun with this simple, sturdy creation.

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WOOL AND MOHAIR HERITAGE Learn the history of the ranching endeavors that helped put Val Verde County on the map.

ANNE KIENLE GARCIA

KATRINA DENNIS The founder of A Pet’s Wish rescue group talks about doing what’s needed.

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SAVING HOOVEE A special cat uses up some of her lives as she makes it through major surgeries.

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LAST LOOK Our creative director wraps up this issue.

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FASHION SHOOT Secondhand finds and adoptable dogs grace this month’s photo spread.

Mia Hernandez is the 10-year-old daughter of Sobie and Leno Hernandez. Mia and her best four-legged friend, a Pomeranian named Zoey, are inseparable and often wear outfits with similar styles and patterns. Here, they were photographed while on a recent walk in Lt. Thomas Romanelli Memorial Park along the San Felipe Creek. Photo by Karen Gleason.

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FEBRUARY CALENDAR

Keep busy this month at these fun local events

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ALEXA HERRMANN, MATTHEW LEBROKE OPENING EXHIBIT RECEPTION

Firehouse Gallery 120 E. Garfield • 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Firehouse welcomes two Del Rio artists: acrylic painter Alexa Herrmann and photographer Matthew Lebroke.

Exhibits will remain on display until Feb. 24.

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ROD STEWART TRIBUTE CONCERT

Paul Poag Theatre 746 S Main St. • 7:30 p.m.

Listen to Las Vegas Rod Stewart impersonator Vic Vaga perform Stewart’s famous hits, including “Maggie May,” “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy,” and “Forever Young.”

9 LOS FLAMENCOS DE SAN ANTONIO PAUL POAG THEATRE

746 S Main St. • 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

This performance, hosted by Casa De La Cultura, will embody the complex musical and cultural tradition of Spain.

A perfect date night, girls’ night out or just a little getaway.

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VALENTINE’S ARTS AND CRAFTS MARKET RAMADA GRAND BALLROOM

2102 Veterans Blvd. • 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pick up a unique, special gift for your loved ones while supporting local small businesses. Vendors include jewelers, woodworkers, soap makers and more.

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PAINTBALL TOURNAMENT ADRENALINE PAINTBALL

68 E Las Chispas St. • 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Bring your friends and test your aim at this beginner’s level tournament. The field also includes a spectator area if you prefer to watch. Registration required. Find Adrenaline Paintball on Facebook for more information.

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BOOKS FOR LUNCH

Val Verde County Library 300 Spring St. Noon to 1 p.m Discuss literature with like-minded bookworms at the library’s weekly Books for Lunch event.

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The Morneau family with their four adopted dogs.

Finding Forever A Del Rio family tells their pet adoption stories Story and photos by ADRIANA IBARRA

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dopting an animal changes your life. From the moment you fall in love with your new companion and bring them home, until the day they breathe their last, you are their everything.

You are their best friend, provider and protector. With that comes a great deal of responsibility and the need for a large heart.

One Del Rio family is made up of five such individuals with hearts full of love and

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caring for the animals they have rescued.

“It all started with Farley, our oldest dog, who is now half blind and half deaf,” said Tina Morneau. Farley was adopted as a companion for Tina’s oldest son, Ryan.

Ryan is a Baylor University graduate and now lives with his two-year-old German Shepherd, Zeus.

“In his younger days, Farley would love to sit outside and wait around for the birds

to come so he could chase them,” Morneau said. Farley is 15 years old and has arthritis, so he doesn’t do that much anymore.

Instead, every time Ryan comes to visit, Farley will curl up in his lap and bask in the attention from his number one boy.

After Farley came Zachy, a dog with a knack for escape via trampoline “My friend was moving out that day to Japan, and Zachy was all skin and bones,

bleeding, and had porcupine quills all over his face,” Morneau said. Morneau’s friend gave her a call to come retrieve the animal because she knew that the dog would be safe in her care.

“I told her that we would find him a home and he would be taken care of,” Morneau said. The animal shelters that Morneau called were unable to house Zachy because of the large numbers of animals already in their care. With that, Morneau fostered and later adopted Zachy.

“We adopted him as a friend for Farley since he was the only other dog we had at the time.

He turned out to be the biggest Houdini,” Morneau said. After several escape attempts through the fence and by jumping high enough on the trampoline to get over the fence, the Morneaus installed a new, Zachy proof, fence around their home.

Tina and Rich Morneau and their first adopted dog, Farley.

Elisabeth, Hannah and Nathan sit with their dog Zachy.

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Rich and his daughter Elisabeth hold their Dachshund, Heidi.

A while later, Morneau’s daughter, Elisabeth, volunteered for A Pet’s Wish, a Del Rio animal rescue group.

With a heart for animals like her mother’s, Elisabeth asked to foster a Dachshund they later named Heidi.

“Heidi’s spine was poking out and she was just so skinny, so we fed her and took care of her until she could be adopted,” 12

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Morneau said.

Weeks later the bond between Heidi and Elisabeth had grown, so when the time came it was hard to let Heidi go. “I remember tears streaming down all of our faces when we took Heidi to be adopted. She was already a part of our family,” Morneau said.

When Elisabeth and Morneau’s husband, Rich came out with Heidi in their arms and

smiles on their faces, she knew Heidi had found a forever home with them.

“One thing that Heidi likes to do is burrow in blankets and sweaters,” Morneau said. Dachshunds were bred to flush out badgers and other burrowing animals so it’s only natural that Heidi enjoys small, secluded spaces.

“I remember one time that I accidentally sat on Heidi because she was burrowed in a blanket on the couch and I didn’t see her,” Morneau said. Heidi is known to burrow so far in to a blanket that only her nose can be seen.

Heidi also loves to dress up. One year for Halloween, Heidi and Hannah, Morneau’s younger daughter, dressed up as a hot dog and hot dog salesman. “It was so sweet to see them both and the bond they share,” Morneau said.

Friends of the Morneau family have come to know them by their compassion and giving hearts. “I couldn’t do this without the support from my husband and his big heart for the animals too,” Morneau said.

One June morning, Morneau received a call about several puppies and their mother abandoned in a shed in 105-degree weather.

“They were found at the church and being fed by others, I agreed to help because I had the proper crates to transport the animals,” Morneau said.

Morneau and a friend went to the local shelters, but sadly they were all full.

Morneau decided to foster two of the puppies until they could find good homes.

After six weeks and some training, one puppy was adopted by a Morneau family friend.

“The other puppy trained easily, and with my daughter’s birthday coming up, we decided to keep him,” Morneau said.

“I couldn’t imagine him being adopted by anyone else,” Morneau said. The puppy now known as “Snoopy,” melted the family’s hearts with his affectionate nature and fondness of cuddling.

“He is the biggest cuddler, and he loves to nibble on ears,” Morneau said. Snoopy and Nathan, Morneau’s youngest son, like to cuddle during movie time.

Snoopy is an outgoing dog and enjoys spending time at the lake or in the middle of the commotion at home. “He loves being where all the action is and will follow us around the house.”

Each day is filled with laughter and

love for their animals, though it gets hectic Morneau wouldn’t have it any other way.

“These dogs are just so grateful for everything we have done for them,” Morneau said.

In Del Rio there are hundreds of animals in need of good homes living on the streets and not receiving the love and care that they need. “I can’t walk past an animal in need without trying to help,” Morneau said.

There are ways to foster an animal before adopting it to make sure they are a good fit for your family. “At A Pet’s Wish you can foster an animal for a couple weeks to give them a fair shot at becoming your new companion,” Morneau said.

“When adopting, always remember the animal is going to have issues for a few weeks,” Morneau said. There are bound to be

Nathan sits and laughs with Snoopy, the youngest of the bunch.

accidents, some barking, and they’ll need time to adjust to their surroundings.

Once they are adjusted, they can show their personalities more and how well they will fit in with a family or individual.

It is important to keep in mind that bringing a new member into one’s home is a big responsibility.

“Buying all of their food and ensuring their health can get expensive, but they are a part of our family, and we made a promise at the time of adoption to look after and take care of them,” Morneau said.

Having these pets has done a great deal for Morneau’s family in teaching her children about responsibility and how to treat others. “It’s good to teach them the work side of having pets,” Morneau said. These animals need to be fed, trained, and bathed. It isn’t all fun and games.

It’s good to see the kids being good to their animals and witness the compassion they have for them, Morneau said, adding that having the dogs brings the family closer together as well.

“We go on walks with the animals, and we play with them at the lake. They help us bond together and bring such joy and happiness to our home,” Morneau said.

The best thing about having these pets is to see how far they have come from where they started.

“As much work as they are sometime, it’s very rewarding seeing them thriving and seeing how grateful and loving they are,” Morneau said.

Over the years these dogs have enriched the lives of Morneau and her family. All they needed was a chance. •

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Wags to Riches A veterinary hospital gives an unsuspecting dog a chance at happiness Story by MEGAN TACKETT and photos by KELLEY HURWITZ AHR

Clay Whitten, Leslee Hurwitz and two veterinarian technicians perform an ultrasound on Nouvelle, checking her internal organs for potential health issues.

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ight dogs varying size, color and character press their noses against a chain link gate.

Some were caught as strays, some were surrendered by their owners and some were lost and never found.

Once every fews weeks, Leslee Hurwitz, Del Rio Veterinary Diagnostic Hospital co-owner, visits the animal

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control facility to select one dog from this group as the newest addition to her hospital’s rescue program.

Wags to Riches has rescued and found homes for close to 100 dogs since the program began at the Hurwitz’s former Austin veterinary hospital in 2006. They resumed the program when they moved to Del Rio last year and have since saved

eight dogs locally.

The program’s first dog, Mommy Dog, was somewhat of a “foster fail” for Hurwitz. After rescuing the small wiry pooch, Hurwitz couldn’t bear the thought of handing her off to another family. Mommy Dog now lives with the Hurwitz family at their Brackettville ranch and regularly accompanies them

to work.

Although she spends most of her days surrounded by animals, Hurwitz admits she’s not a dog expert, a trainer, or a veterinarian. In order to determine which dog is suitable for their program, she applies a few tests to gauge each dog’s adopt-ability.

“You have to have very strict guidelines and selection criteria to make sure everybody wins in this situation,” Hurwitz said. “The dog, the team at the veterinary hospital and ultimately the family or person who gets this dog.”

Hurwitz emphasizes that while she believes none of the

Nouvelle had spent a few days at Del Rio’s Animal Control facility before Hurwitz rescued her for the Wags to Riches

“If each (veterinary hospital) adopted one dog per month, we could change hundreds of thousands of people’s lives.” dogs are without hope, it takes a specific dog to work for their program.

“The people who these dogs are going to, these dogs are going to change their lives and I want to make sure I set everybody up for success,” Hurwitz said. “The best way to do that is to find a dog with the least amount of risk as possible.”

Since the dog will reside temporarily at the hospital, Hurwitz wants to make sure the pooch she chooses doesn’t bark excessively. She enters the kennels of the dogs after narrowing down the pool and tests their human interaction skills. She also gives the dogs

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a couple soft jabs to make sure they can handle human contact.

One dog catches Hurwitz’s eye almost immediately that checks every box. A mildtempered mid-sized black and white female that might fall under a herding or heeler breed.

The dog eagerly yet gently approaches her when Hurwitz enters the kennel.

“You see that? She’s asking,” Hurwitz said when the dog softly pawed at the gate.

Hurwitz leashes the dog and walks her past the other canines to check for signs of aggression.

The dog, however, exhibits little signs of interest toward the others and instead directs most of her attention to Hurwitz, just 15 minutes after their first introduction. To Hurwitz, the choice is obvious.

“She’s submissive, affectionate, loyal,” Hurwitz said. “She’s going to be a good fit.”

After Hurwitz signs off on the dog at animal control, she brings the dog to its new but temporary home at the Del Rio Diagnostic Veterinary Hospital.

The staff immediately greet her and begin discussing a possible name for their program’s eighth dog. With the new year on the horizon, they decide to name her “Nouvelle,” the French feminine word for “new.”

Within minutes, Clay Whitten, a veterinarian at the diagnostic hospital, examines Nouvelle’s ears, gums and teeth. Whitten and the vet techs draw blood to test for heart worm and other diseases and perform an ultrasound to check the condition of her organs, including her heart, liver, spleen and urinary gallbladder.

While performing her spay procedure, Whitten said he and the techs noticed something off with Nouvelle’s hips that

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Two vet techs draw blood from Nouvelle to test for heartworm and other viruses and diseases.

Hurwitz loads the dog in her truck and transports her to Del Rio Diagnostic Veterinary Hospital, where veterinarians will examine her and bring her to adoptable health.

Nouvelle must undergo a

femoral head ostectomy procedure and will be available for adoption after her recovery.

indicated a car might have struck her at some point before her rescue. Whitten schedules an femoral head ostectomy (FHO) for Nouvelle and estimates the healing process to take about two weeks.

Ambitiously, Hurwitz says she wants to expand the program into every veterinary hospital in America.

According to Hurwitz, there are more 26,000 veterinary hospitals in the country.

“If each one of them adopted one dog per month, we could change hundreds of thousands of people’s lives and saving just as many dogs,” Hurwitz said. “What an amazing feat that would be.”

Although Nouvelle has a road to recovery ahead of her, Whitten, Hurwitz and the techs are confident her friendly demeanor and admirable fortitude will land her a home in the weeks to come. •

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A Grande Life

AMY MORGAN A longtime local foster gets real about Del Rio’s stray animal situation Story by MEGAN TACKETT and photos by KAREN GLEASON

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omplaining about issues in the community is easy for everyone. It takes a strong, steadfast individual to actually do something about it.

Amy Morgan, a retired Air Force civil engineering first sergeant and current programmer for construction projects at Laughlin Air Force Base, began fostering for A Pet’s Wish in 2013 after growing frustrated with the number of stray dogs in Val Verde County.

“There’s such a need in this town,” Morgan said. “As I’ve learned more, I’ve become more passionate.”

She and her husband Wayne moved to a 55-acre Val Verde property in 2010. Since creating their Del Rio homestead, the Morgans now have five dogs, six horses, six goats, two pigs, three cats, 18 chickens, six ducks and five fish.

Morgan grew up 19 miles south of Waco, a city, Morgan said, that Del Rio could learn a thing or two from about animal care legislation. The city of Waco

requires by law that pet owners register and spay or neuter their pets. Owners of dogs that are not spayed or neutered pay a higher registration fee.

“Until the people in this city start doing what they need to do, we’re not going to get ahead,” Morgan said. “All we’re doing is managing the crisis.”

A breed she fosters often, Morgan said, are Great Pyrenees, a large, white herding dog. When choosing a dog to foster, Morgan said she likes to accommodate bigger, older dogs that might have more trouble finding a forever home than an adorable puppy.

“I try to take bigger dogs and dogs that’s been there for a while,” Morgan said. “Because they don’t have any place to go.”

Although she mainly fosters canines, Morgan doesn’t shy away from a bigger animal that desperately needs longterm care.

In 2012, she and her husband fostered a neglected horse that Val Verde County sheriff deputies rescued from a county property. In July 2017, the horse,

named Maize, found her forever home with Morgan’s help.

“I’ve always been proanimals,” Morgan said. “But if you’re going to have an animal you need to take care of them.”

Besides caring for her animals, crocheting and creating goats milk soap and cheese for friends and family, Morgan and her husband were recently inspired to become scuba certified. She learned through a local scuba instructor and is looking forward to using her new skills on future vacations.

“I don’t like when I can’t do something so I need to learn how to do it,” Morgan said.

Morgan encourages the community to help keep the stray population down by having their animals fixed and abiding by leash laws. She challenges local leaders to bring more spay and neuter clinics to the area and create stronger legislation that requires pet owners to provide adequate care for their animals. •

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CLOSET Paw -FIDENTIAL Story and photos by MEGAN TACKETT

Mia and Zoey Hernandez Editor’s note: Mia Hernandez and her Pomeranian Zoey are life-long fashionable friends.

They were first introduced when Mia was just a baby, and the two have regularly color-coordinated their outfits ever since. The fluffy pup even has her own Instagram account, Zoey_the_ pom1, where fans can follow her and the Hernandez family’s adorable, trendsetting journeys.

Zoey was introduced into the family when Mia was just a year old, said Mia’s mom, Sobie Hernandez.

The two have been inseparable ever since, she said.

Sobie bought Mia this charm bracelet when Mia was five years old. Since then, she adds tiny charms for birthdays, milestones and other special occasions.

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This is Zoey’s newest outfit that we bought from Petsense. It’s a sweater dress with a little scarf attached.

Girl’s Best Friend “We wanted Mia to have a dog to grow up with,” said Sobie Hernandez, Mia’s mom. “Zoey has always taken to Mia, ever since she was a baby. When Mia would cry, Zoey would lick her tears.

Even now, if Mia is upset, Zoey is upset.”

favorite stores are Justice, Target and Marshall’s.”

Prize-winning Pomeranian “We won second place at last year’s Monster Mash,” Mia said. “I went as a rain cloud, and Zoey wore a rain jacket.

Family Fashion

“We shop for Zoey at pet stores like Petsense in Del Rio and Petco when we go to San Antonio,” Mia said. “I look for dresses and colorful items. Sometimes I’ll dress her in my baby clothes and my cheer doll’s outfits. She probably has about seven or 10 outfits.”

“Zoey has a brother named Squirt, a sister named Claire and another brother named Clyde,” Mia said.

“Squirt is a Chihuahua, Claire is a corgi-mix and Clyde is a cat. Back when Squirt was younger, he’s 14 now, we would dress him, but not that much anymore because he doesn’t like being touched that much. Claire will wear my shirts and she’ll want me to tie up the sleeves so they’re not so tight.”

Mia’s Style

Don’t forget Kylo

Zoey’s style

“I like to wear off the shoulder dresses and shirts,” said Mia. “She loves to go from her sporty cheerleading attire to a blingy outfit,” Sobie added. “Her

The year before, I dressed as Hillary Clinton, and she went as Donald Trump and we won first place.”

Zoey doesn’t wear many head accessories, Mia said, but this red bow was just too cute to pass up.

“We just bought a bearded dragon from Petsense and named him Kylo,” Mia said. “We’ve already started looking for outfits,” Sobie added.

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Although Mia loves to match with Zoey, sometimes she branches out with her own style.

Here, Mia wears a jumper with a cold shoulder feature, one of her favorite fashion trends, she said.

“I absolutely love shopping even though I’m not allowed to as much any more. Once you get married that kind of stops.”

When finding the perfect outfit for Zoey, Mia said she looks for colorful sweaters and dresses at Petsense in Del Rio and Petco in San Antonio.

Zoey wore this rain coat when she and Mia, dressed as a rain cloud, won second place at last year’s Monster Mash.

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(830) 422-2129

Making Texas a Better Place for Pets & People ERIN ALEXANDER, DVM, Partner

2450 Veterans Blvd, Del Rio, TX 78840 • (830) 422-2129 www.delriovet.net

CLAY WHITTEN, DVM, Partner GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

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Party at your dog’s house! Tractor Supply sells sweet, modern digs for your doggo.

Pet Picks

Give your pooch something sweet to eat: Claudia’s Canine Bakery dog biscuits from Pet Sense.

Treat your furry (or maybe furless?) companion right with these animal-friendly finds.

Puppy will stay entertained all day with this interactive, soft toy from Tractor

Keep your cat entertained all day with this interactive toy from Tractor Supply Co.

Wear your pet love on your sleeves and feet. Find these French bulldog socks at Buffalo Girls.

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Bling out your pet with rhinestone-studded collars from Del Rio Feed and Supply.

Keep Fifi and Fido warm during the chilly winter months in this plaid, cozy coat. Available in different colors and sizes at Petsense.

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“Bone” Appétit!

Story by KIM DUPILL; photo by KAREN GLEASON

We all love to spoil our pooches! Making your own treats is a great way to reward them or even can be used as a training tool. This recipe uses simple ingredients you most likely already have in your home.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

• 1½ cups creamy peanut butter (natural is best)*

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• 1½ cups old-fashioned oats • 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce • 3 cups whole wheat flour • 1 tsp baking powder

2) Mix all ingredients together. If too dry, you can add more applesauce or a bit of water.

3) Flour your counter/surface and roll out the dough to ½-inch thickness. Cut dough with cookie cutters.

4) Place on baking sheets and bake 20-25 minutes or until slightly browned.

5) Store in airtight container.

*Any creamy peanut butter will work, but avoid any low fat or low sugar varieties, as artificial sugars such as Xylitol can be harmful to dogs.

Don’t be tempted to “spice it up.” Many spices can be irritating, even toxic, to dogs’ stomachs.

Please consult your vet if you have any concerns about what foods/spices are appropriate for your dog.

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Air Conditioning Sales Repair Installation

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DECEMBER 2017

NOVEMBER 2017

TROPHY TIME Taxidermist preserves memories of the hunt

POSADA Del Rioans reenact the story of Christmas

CHRISTMAS CASA A local homeowner decks her halls with seasonal spirit

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LOCAL GIFT GUIDE

OASIS FOR EXOTICS Rare species thrive on Indianhead Ranch

Happy Holidays!

GRANDE / DECEMBER 2017

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Former Del Rioan designs posh poolside fashion

BEHIND THE WHEEL COSPLAY CRAZE

‘63 Chevy Impala is a summer spectacle

Del Rioans channel their inner superheroes

LEARN ABOUT LUPITA

ARTFUL LIFE

Meet the Casa’s charismatic director

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON Four Del Rio sons follow in their fathers’ footsteps

PICTURE PERFECT

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MONARCH MADNESS

The Hunting Issue GRANDE / NOVEMBER 2017

Magical migration passes through the Queen City

OCTOBER 2017

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STUNNING SWIMWEAR

GLOBETROTTING GUIDE Del Rio’s Tino Pruneda hunts around the world

AUGUST 2017

OCTOBER 2017

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4-H photogs give us their best shots

Autumn’s Arts GRANDE / OCTOBER 2017

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HEIRLOOM HOME Stidham house revamp honors family legacy

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JUNE 2017

Summer on the San Felipe GRANDE / AUGUST 2017

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Hooray For Dads!

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We are looking for men and women to model in future issues of the magazine.

If you are interested, send photos and contact information to Megan Tackett at the following email: megan.tackett@delrionewsherald.com or call 830-775-1551.

For story and photo ideas, email Karen Gleason at the following: karen.gleason@delrionewsherald.com

GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

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Ben Comes Home Story by MARCELA FUENTES, photo by KAREN GLEASON

Marcela Fuentes is a writer from Del Rio. She loves the community and has worked at the Val Verde County Library and taught English at Southwest Texas Junior College. She left her hometown in 2007 to attend the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her stories have been published in the Indiana Review, Vestal Review, Blackbird, Bodega Magazine, The Stoneslide Corrective, Juked, and other literary journals, as well as in the anthologies Flash Fiction International, Best of the Web, and New Stories from the Southwest. Currently, she teaches writing and Chicana/o Studies at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She comes home every Christmas and summer to visit her family. (And yes, Ben comes home too.)

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GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

Most dog-related websites will tell you: German Shepherds are not for first-time dog owners. They are absolutely right, so please take this story as the exception, not the rule.

My dog Ben is now approximately five years old. My husband and I adopted Ben roughly four years ago, in October 2013, from the Fulton County Animal Services in Atlanta, Ga. My husband and I wanted a dog, and had talked it all over very responsibly. We agreed on a medium-sized dog, preferably low-shedding, for our two-bedroom apartment in Atlanta.

Then I saw Ben’s picture on Petfinder and fell in love. This is how I ended up with a 90-pound dog who practically sheds two Corgis’ worth of hair every day.

BENJAMIN #A459313.

German Shepherd Dog. Adult: Male: Large. He was in the county pound, a kill shelter.

He’d been picked up as a stray, no collar, no background information. His online

mugshot showed big worried eyes, a flop ear and a ridiculous Scooby-Doo nose. I just knew I had to have him.

The vet put Ben’s age between eight and ten months. He was a big puppy, and a big mess: kennel cough, skin rash, ear infections, and severely emaciated. He’d also suffered a knee injury sometime before he’d been picked up by animal control.

My husband and I were first-time dog owners, so the learning curve for rehabilitating a sick dog was steep. Fulton County is not a rescue organization, and didn’t offer much in terms of resources or advice. Luckily, my husband and I are both total nerds from south Texas. We came at the situation with Google searches and our rural childhoods. My husband grew up on a ranch with German Shepherds, so he knew the breed. I was a serious rodeo competitor in my youth, so I had horse training experience and confidence around large animals.

It took four months to physically

rehabilitate Ben. We DIYed a “flirt pole” to build muscle in his hind legs. We found a good recipe for high protein “satin balls” –a mixture of molasses, peanut butter and ground beef— to supplement his meals and charted his weekly weight gain. We invested ourselves completely, but I believe the main reason we were successful was Ben himself. He needed a lot of rehab, but he was sweet and easy to train.

Once Ben became a healthy dog we started doing training sessions for obedience through the Humane Society.

Ben has completed Basic and Intermediate Obedience. Four years later, he’s a fantastic guy—sociable, good manners, handsome and a heart of gold.

He’ll be starting classes for the AKC Canine Good Citizen certification this coming January. My goal is to one day have him certified as a Therapy Dog. So, is the German Shepherd a dog for first time owners? For this hardheaded woman from Del Rio, the answer is yes. •

GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

33

Doggy DIY Story and photo by ADRIANA IBARRA

Repurpose an old towel and treat your precious pooch with a new toy! This easy-to-make braided dog toy is perfect for playing fetch and sturdy enough to handle some roughhousing.

What you’ll need:

Directions:

• A pair of scissors

• Lay out a new/old towel on a flat surface and measure three pieces to be two inches wide and at least 18 inches long.

• Mark along the edges of the strips with a non-toxic marker to use for a guide.

• cut the towel into three strips.

• On one end, create an overhand knot and pull until tightened.

• Braid the strips until there are eight inches left at the end.

• Create another overhand on the last end and tighten.

•Lastly, give each end a good tug to make sure they will hold when your dog plays with it.

• Ruler • Non-toxic marker • Towel • Flat surface

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GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

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35

Fibers Of Time Reminiscent of a time when the railroad was king, Val Verde Wool and Mohair keeps the ranching tradition alive Story by Rubén Cantú; photos by Rubén Cantú and contributed by Kerr Wardlaw

E

vocative of an era when life was simpler, when hard work was the norm and the railroad could make or break towns and cities, an adobe and brick building stands in Del Rio. Defiant of time Val Verde Wool and Mohair is located at 501 Converse St., right behind East Gibbs Street, one of the busiest thoroughfares in town.

Despite its physical proximity to progress, the warehouse remains immune to the modernity frenzy, almost hiding from time and from development.

Just like the wool and mohair trade did in the late 1880s, this business remains active, sorting, grading, packing and

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shipping local producers’ products and keeping alive a tradition more than 100 years old.

Val Verde Wool and Mohair general manager Kerr Wardlaw said the local wool and mohair business goes back to the foundation of Del Rio, when sheep and goats were coming across the land from San Antonio.

“It was the 1880s, and sheep were being raised near the Devils River. Del Rio ranchers started raising sheep and goats.

There were some small operations, but others went big and prosperous,” Wardlaw said.

The business and economic activity

thrived through the 1980s, finally slowing down in the mid 1990s, when the federal government wool subsidy was dropped.

Ranching and agriculture have always been an integral part of the economy in Del Rio. According to The Handbook of Texas Online, a publication of the Texas State Historical Association, sheep and goat ranchers found the Del Rio area ideal for their livestock during the late 19th Century.

“For many years Del Rio served as a focal point for the wool and mohair industry. The development of the railroad in the 1880s served as an impetus to development of sheep and goat ranching,”

Val Verde Wool and Mohair general manager Kerr Wardlaw stands next to a Toledo scale. These vintage scales remain in use for processing and shipping wool and mohair out of Del Rio.

the publication states.

The construction of the railroad by Southern Pacific helped boost this industry, which was originally brought to the New World by the Spanish soldiers and missionaries in the early 18th century.

The first wool and mohair warehouse in Del Rio was Del Rio Wool and Mohair, Wardlaw said, which opened in the late 1800s and was soon overloaded by the high demand. At one point, he said, there were four wool and mohair warehouses in Del Rio. “My great-grandfather opened Producers Wool and Mohair in 1923, and then another one opened called Val Verde Wool and Mohair on Chestnut Street, between Pierce and Ogden streets,” Wardlaw said.

Producers and Del Rio operated independently until the 1990s, when they merged and became Val Verde Wool and Mohair at the Converse Street location.

Wardlaw said currently the business operates just like a hardware store.

“We have anything you can find in a hardware store, but we

Raw mohair is graded, sorted, bagged and labeled before it is shipped to South Africa, where it will be processed and woven into different products.

GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

37

Val Verde Wool and Mohair processes and ships an average of 10,000 pounds of fibers every year. The mohair is sent to South Africa, via Houston, while the wool’s final destination is woolen mills in the northeast United States.

also sell feed for horses, cattle, sheep and goats, we weigh wool, we ship it to San Angelo, where they have sales. Purchasers bid for the wool in a silent-auction type of sale,” he said.

Once the producers take their wool and mohair to the warehouse, Wardlaw explained, a grader comes in and sorts the product according to category. All growers end up with hair in every category.

Some of the categories include: average adult, fine adult, fine young goat, average kid, kid, tops.

The mohair is bagged, loaded into trucks and sent to Houston. From there the fiber is sent to South Africa, where it is cleaned, combed, spun into yarn and woven into different products.

The wool has different destinations, since it is shipped to woolen mills in the northeastern United States.

Some of the items produced with these fibers include clothes, blankets, socks and sweaters.

Wardlaw said production has been stable but it is not what it used to be before the mid 1990s.

Wool and mohair producers were subsidized by the federal government

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through the National Wool Act of 1954, but in 1993 Congress passed new provisions to reduce the subsidies in 1994 and 1995 and to eliminate them completely from 1996 on.

“The incentive was set to make sure that United States producers stayed in business and for them to be able to clothe the military. When you talk about national sovereignty, and to say you are a free country, it is just a sentence. It doesn’t mean anything unless you can actually provide your fossil fuels, meat, vegetables, fibers, meat, everything you need should you close your borders and still be self-sufficient. That is true national sovereignty,” he said.

Wardlaw said tariffs on wool and mohair imports were used to fund producers and helped to keep the United States sovereign.

“The incentive was set up to produce more. This is not just a government handout, it goes to the United States producers. This is the only government program that ever worked. When they cancelled it, it knocked people out of business,” Wardlaw said.

Nowadays, the wool and mohair business is still alive, and the local

warehouse ships between 8,000 pounds and 12,000 pounds every year, depending on the rain, feed and different conditions affecting hair production.

Some of the wool and mohair products are commercialized abroad, but others have a niche in the U.S. market.

“We have mohair socks here,” said Wardlaw. “People have a strange correlation thinking you wear wool and mohair socks in the wintertime when you actually need them more in the summer.

When you perspire is when you need to be wearing mohair socks, as it draws all the moisture away from your feet.”

“You can be wearing mohair socks and step in the San Felipe Creek early in the morning and go to work the rest of the day with your wet shoes. At the end of the day you won’t have any blisters and your feet will virtually be dry. They are way better than cotton,” he said.

After the subsidy was cut in the mid 1990s, the market and production dropped and put a lot of people out of business, Wardlaw said.

Wardlaw said many goat and sheep ranchers sold their properties, and those became hunting ranches, but

A meeting at Producers Wool and Mohair circa 1930. Third from the left in the front row is C.B. “Dutch” Wardlaw, president of the board and co-founder of Producers Wool and Mohair and great-grandfather of the business’ current general manager, Kerr Wardlaw.

the new property owners were not able to keep up with ranchland management.

“They believed that livestock competes with hunting, so the properties started growing wild due to the lack of grazing, and wildlife does not graze enough to control the grass. (Property owners) think they have a natural area, but it is actually out of control. Wildlife actually would leave that area and would go to ranches. So ranchland that is properly managed would have more wildlife than these places that are just for hunting,” he said.

Other problems property owners face are aging infrastructure, damaged fences and collapsed water systems “so if they ever decided to run agriculture again it would cost so much money.”

Finally, Wardlaw said the sheep and goat industry right now is stable, but it is also in transition, because a lot of people who breed Angora goats for the mohair are moving into meat goats, and producers are going from wool sheep to meat sheep, “a lot of producers are raising animals for meat,” he said. •

Wool and mohair production and sales were an economic booster for the City of Del Rio. This picture taken in the 1950s shows a Holiday Inn sign welcoming wool buyers.

GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

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41

Second Hand Love

Photos by KAREN GLEASON and ADRIANA IBARRA Fashions provided by Repurposed for a Purpose

Our models shine in second-hand fashions while showing love for adoptable dogs from A Pet’s Wish

Kaylee gives back some puppy love to brindle mixed-breed puppy Randy.

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Sisters Kaylee, left, and Mariah, right, wear bright secondhand t-shirts while posing in the park with Sandy, right, and her little chocolate-colored daughter, Squirt.

Emmalee sits with foster dog Jane while wearing a second-hand longsleeve tee under a pink faux fur vest.

Mariah wears a secondhand t-shirt adorned with peace signs and fun colors while holding Jane, a mixed-breed foster looking for her forever home.

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Kaylee takes a break from playing with a foster puppy, Randy, to show off a secondhand short-sleeve tee in bright baby blue with heart graphics and glitter.

Emmalee and Jane stop to admire the sights along the San Felipe Creek.

A pink faux fur vest is the perfect accessory to be worn over a plain white longsleeved tee and paired with jeans on a chilly morning along the creek.

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From Left, Emmalee, Mariah and Kaylee walk foster dog Jane on a path in Romanelli Park.

GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

45

Express Your Love Anne Kienle Garcia’s love of animals finds expression in rescue group Story and photo by KAREN GLEASON

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A

nne Kienle Garcia’s love of animals is evident as soon as a visitor stops in front of her north Del Rio home.

During the recent Christmas holidays, her front yard featured a kingsized inflatable schnauzer wearing a Santa hat and a bright red bow. At the schnauzer’s feet, a scattering of wrapped gifts, a cat playing with an ornament and a smaller dog, this one wearing a pointy green elf hat.

There are lots of Del Rioans who love animals and who have adopted fourlegged family members. Some even foster rescued dogs and cats waiting to be placed in permanent homes or donate time and money to animal rescue organizations.

Kienle Garcia has taken her love of animals many steps further, at first volunteering and for many years now, leading, Friends of Del Rio Animals, one of the city’s pet rescue organizations.

As is evident from her Christmas lawn decoration, Kienle Garcia loves schnauzers, those pint-sized canines who always act as though they’re 10 feet tall and bulletproof, but she admits that it’s a love affair that happened by accident.

“My brother and sister had a schnauzer, and some friends of mine, Fred Delgado Jr. and his wife Cynthia, had a schnauzer, and they bred her.

They came to me because I had just lost one of my dogs. He had congestive heart failure, and I ended up having to put him down. Anyhow, they came and brought this dog to me, and I said, ‘Uh, uh. No. I’m not doing this. I don’t want another dog.’ So they left, but about two weeks later, I called Cynthia and said, ‘Do you still have any of those dogs?’ and she told me she had sold them all.

“A couple hours later, Fred rings the doorbell, and he brings me this dog and he said, ‘See if you can work with her,’ and I asked him what he meant,” Kienle Garcia said.

Delgado told her the couple that had bought the little dog returned her, deeming her “untrainable.”

“Well it wasn’t her being untrainable, it was the people that had her,” Kienle Garcia said with a touch of asperity in her tone.

“I took her, named her Shiner Bock and had her for 17 years. She just passed away in November,” Kienle Garcia said.

Shiner was the first of several schnauzers to grace the Kienle Garcia household.

The latest edition to Kienle Garcia’s schnauzer clan is Hailey, whom she rescued from a breeder in New Mexico.

Hailey is small, smaller than a regular-sized housecat, and KienleGarcia has ordered the house for the little dog’s ease and enjoyment.

A custom-made, carpeted ramp leads to Kienle Garcia’s bed so the little dog can snuggle with her mom, and a space inside the ramp holds Hailey’s many tiny outfits.

But don’t think of Kienle Garcia as a “dog person.”

Snuggled inside her closet, a venerable old tabby cat lies curled on a soft nest of blankets.

“She was my first foster. Or, I should say, she was my first foster fail. I’ve had her since she was three weeks old, and she’s 12 now,” Kienle Garcia said.

The old cat’s name is Misty, which Kienle Garcia said she changed to Stinky because of certain smelly gases that would occasionally arise from the feline after she was fed soft food.

“She’s in the closet because she’s like Greta Garbo. You know, ‘I vant to be alone,’” Kienle Garcia said.

She also tells the story of how she became involved with Friends of Del Rio Animals. To paraphrase a Texas saying, Kienle Garcia didn’t found the group, which began operations in 2004, but she joined it as soon as she could.

“In September 2005, I wasn’t

working and I was kind of going crazy at home, and somebody told me, ‘Hey, they have an animal rescue group that meets once a month at Pizza Hut.’ So I thought I’d go to the next meeting and see what it was all about.

“Well during that meeting, they passed around a piece of paper seeing if anybody wanted to be the secretary, so I signed the paper, and then it was like, ‘Oh, we have a new secretary,’” she said.

One of the group’s founders had a kitten in need of a foster home, and Kienle Garcia volunteered for that duty as well. The kitten, Misty/Stinky, had found her forever home.

Kienle-Garcia served her term as Friends secretary, secretary/treasurer, treasurer and has been the group’s president for nearly a decade.

“I’ve just always loved animals. When we were growing up, my dad wasn’t particularly fond of dogs and cats, and we had one cat that we brought from my aunt’s farm, and our neighbors didn’t like cats and they poisoned her. So my dad was like, ‘That’s it, we’re done, never again.’ But my mom saved up her money because she always wanted a poodle, so in about 1963, she bought a poodle, and it cost her $75, and she had a pedigree,” Kienle Garcia recalled.

Her mother began breeding poodles, though not on a large scale, KienleGarcia said.

“I loved having the puppies around.

I’d get up at the crack of dawn – it would never fail, because the litters would be born in the late fall, so we would have them into the winter, so I would get up in the morning – and we had a big whelping box, so I would clean the box, get the puppies fed, take them outside in the snow, bring them back in and dry them off, all before I went to school. That’s where I got started with animals,” she said. •

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Doing what’s needed A Pet’s Wish founder Katrina Dennis takes on a cruel world Story and photo by Karen Gleason

K

atrina Dennis is one of those rare people who can stand to look at the worst the world can dish out and do something about it.

Dennis is the founder, fundraiser, chief cook and bottle washer and number one advocate for A Pet’s Wish, an animal rescue organization based in Del Rio, and she has lived here on and off since 2006, moving here after her husband took a job with an automotive dealership.

“I grew up around animals. I grew up on a ranch. I’ve always had animals and always cared for them, but I wanted to travel, so I did a lot traveling as a young adult. I started traveling when I was 16 because I wanted to get out of the house.

I’m the oldest of 13, so I raised four of my brothers, and I literally wanted to take off,” Dennis said.

Dennis had her wish, traveling to places like Alaska, Central Europe and doing volunteer work there.

“That where all this started, I guess,” Dennis said. “I was in Bosnia, Croatia, working for the U.S. military, delivering humanitarian aid. I’ve been to Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Italy, Austria. We delivered aid to some sad, sad places. I’ve seen the worst of the worst. In Romania, they break their children’s legs so they can beg on the street – for food, not for money,” Dennis said.

Sometimes, Dennis said, she and the other volunteers worked with an organization, sometimes not.

When she married and her husband talked about getting a job that would allow them to settle down, Dennis followed him here.

“I think my mindset is children, animals, anything that needs help,” she

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said. “If animals need something, I try to give what I have.”

And Dennis has given lavishly of two of life’s most valuable commodities – time and effort.

When she first moved to Del Rio, Dennis recalled she had a number of friends in the military, and they would ask her to check on their dogs.

She said, “My friend lost her chocolate Lab, and I went to the animal control facility, the old one, to look for her, and I saw all these purebred dogs and cute puppies, and I was like, ‘How many do you put down a week?’ and the guy was like, ‘125 a week, cats and dogs,’ and I thought, ‘Holy crap, that’s a lot.’”

“It was so depressing,” she said, thinking back on that time.

“At the very beginning, it was just going down there and taking pictures of the animals and putting them on Craigslist, or I would go on Friday, pick up the dogs.

I remember taking 13 dogs one time in my Chevy Malibu and taking them to San Antonio and trying to find homes for them,” she said.

Dennis admits to a certain naiveté when she first began her rescue efforts.

“People want something for free. They don’t want to invest in anything. If it’s free, they’ll take it, but they won’t take care of it. At first I was taking them out of animal control and giving them to the first person who would take them, but then I realized after a while that that dog was probably going to an even worse situation because it’s running around because people aren’t keeping it fenced, and it will get hit by a car,” she said.

In one heartbreaking episode, Dennis said, her own dog got out of her yard

and someone shot it. When she and her husband left Del Rio after two years, she said she vowed never to return.

“After that, I was just, ‘I can’t live in this town,’” she said.

But her husband’s employer convinced her husband to return to Del Rio, and helped Dennis set up an office for her rescue organization in a downtown storefront. It was less than ideal, but it was something.

Despite her misgivings about the town, Dennis continued working. A Pet’s Wish as an organization began to take off when she began working with a friend, Lynn Lozano, who, Dennis said, had the time, knowledge, money and space to dedicate to the rescue organization.

Slowly, A Pet’s Wish became more organized.

Two years ago, Dennis left the South Main Street storefront and moved into an old building on Ogden Street.

Dennis is the first to admit that the location is still not exactly what the organization needs, but she says she is extremely grateful because a long-time benefactor has purchased the building and agreed to give her organization a 10year lease.

Why is it that she just can’t walk away, turn a blind eye?

“I think it’s inhumane. I feel like I can’t.

I feel that if I have a roof over my head, even if I was living under the bridge, if there’s literally something between life and death, there’s something I can do, I want to do it, especially in this day and age, where you’ve got networking,” Dennis said.

“It’s just my time, really,” she said. “It’s just my giving a crap.” •

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49

Saving Hoovee Story and photos by DR. LAURA PHARR, D.V.M.

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H

oovee came to the clinic on Jan 3, 2017. Someone found her, and Katrina Dennis of A Pet’s Wish rescued her.

Dennis brought the gray cat straight to the clinic for us to examine her. They thought she had been hit by a car. We cautiously looked her over and decided we needed to get radiographs. She could not really move her back legs, and she tried to avoid us as best she could Hoovee was definitely a feral cat that was too hurt to run when Dennis went to rescue her. She hissed quite a bit and seemed very scared. We were able to carefully get x-rays of her back end and found her pelvis had multiple fractures. She also had a fracture on her back right leg (femur). Pelvic fractures are hard enough to overcome. The femur fracture would also prove to be difficult to overcome due to the pelvic fractures.

But Hoovee had a much bigger problem than that. Her tail was disconnected from the rest of her spine. This problem was part of what made me call Dennis immediately and tell her this was a battle we would, most likely, not win.

I showed Dennis the radiographs (x-rays) and where the fractures were. We discussed possible treatment options. We discussed the guarded prognosis for a spinal fracture, even though it was more or less just the tail head. The problem with a fracture in this location is that the nerves that control the cat’s ability to eliminate (urinate/defecate) run right in this area.

Some of the nerves that control her hind limbs also run in this area. If Hoovee could walk again, she would very possibly be incontinent for the rest of her life, and most people are not going to adopt a cat that has both urinary and fecal incontinence.

The other major issue was that we were dealing with a feral cat. Hoovee would need intense care and would need to be handled daily. We were very close to making a tough decision when Dennis went to pet her. Not only did she not hiss, she allowed Dennis to comfort her.

Hoovee made up our minds with that gesture.

Hoovee was treated with anti-inflammatories and antibiotics.

She had issues that came and went. She got a very large abscess over her back end where the fracture was located. Hoovee had to have quite a bit of hands-on care, but she grew more and more affectionate. She also began to use her hind limbs. She had to have help with urination a few times, but she, eventually, took over there, as well.

She was also given her name during this time. We named her Hoovee, because she looked like a little owl with her round face and big eyes.

Hoovee had stolen our hearts and was quite entertaining. It took us a while before we were comfortable letting her out of the cage to allow her to start doing more than just walking. We wanted to allow plenty of time for her pelvic fractures and leg to heal. We went ahead and spayed Hoovee in April to prepare her for a potential adoption. This girl was doing great, or so we thought.

Hoovee acted weird one day a little while later. She was drooling and acted like she was in shock. We pulled her out of the cage to see what could have happened. We noticed a big, abnormal swelling just to right of her tail/bottom.

After some examination, I figured out that she had formed a hernia on her back end. Because of all of the injuries and difficulty having bowel movements, Hoovee had literally caused hernias on her back end. Both her bladder and her intestines were able to come through and could cause life-threatening problems if not addressed.

After extensive discussion, we knew Hoovee would need major surgery to save her life. We had all become so attached to her, she was part of our family at the clinic. We tried to determine if the surgery could be done here, but there was a lot more to the surgery than we realized. We set it up, with Dennis’ approval, to have the surgery done at a specialty practice in San Antonio.

A few days later, Hoovee was on yet another hard, long road to recovery. She had to have hernias repaired on both sides of her tail/ back end. Her bladder and colon were tacked down to her body wall to ensure they could not come back out, if the hernias returned.

She was also put on a special diet that she has to stay on for the rest of her life. She also has to receive medication daily to help her have bowel movements.

Hoovee is an amazing cat that has changed all of our lives at the clinic. We are so thankful we gave this girl a chance. She is allowed to run around the exam rooms and treatment area of the clinic daily. She is very good at scavenging, though. The exam rooms are usually a safer place to let her roam, because she is too good at finding any dropped kibbles on the floor.

Hoovee also gets so much attention from owners that come to visit their pets in the treatment area. She will steal your heart with one gesture. Just be careful, she does get feisty at times. •

GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

51

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GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

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GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

53

Last Look

Hello readersI can confidently say this issue was my favorite to put together.

I, like probably 97 percent of the human population, love animals.

I have two spoiled rescues of my own: Olive, a blonde terrier-hound mix, and Harry, a tiny Shih-Tzu mix. Since they’ve entered our lives, there’s never been a dull moment in the Tackett-Poulsen household.

While not totally wanting to ignore the “Valentine’s Day” idea, we decided to develop this issue around the love people have for their pets. We incorporated pink and red hues to tie-in the familiar colors of Feb.14, while keeping the relationship between pets and their humans our central focus.

I must have met about 20 dogs in the process of creating this edition. While interviewing Del Rio Diagnostic Veterinary Hospital’s Leslee Hurwitz at the city’s animal control facility, I met so many perfectly adoptable dogs, A Pet’s Wish fosters Christine Miner and Amy Morgan brought a total of six sweet doggos to our fashion shoot and Ben, the German shepherd featured on our recipe page, was a blast to work with.

These dogs all have one thing in common, they benefitted from the care of a family who provided them with a safe, loving home, temporary or permanent. It was so hard for me to walk away from the animal control facility knowing some of the dogs will never go home.

Since I can’t foster every dog in need, at least that’s what my fiance tells me, I’d like to briefly use my platform to encourage everyone in the community to spay or neuter their pets, and please contain them on your property with enough food, water and shelter to keep them healthy. But please don’t let your unfixed pets roam free, it’s simply not fair to the animals and your neighbors.

(Steps down from soapbox) Thanks so much for reading. See you next month!

Sincerely, Megan Tackett Creative Director

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GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

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GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018

55

Heart Health Month Calendar of Events and Activities

February 2018

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY 1 CALCIUM TESTING Ages 35-60 All of February.

Reduced Rate of $85.00

4

5

6

11

12

13

14 Exercise and Heart Health Education Conference Room 11-12

18

19

20

21 Silent Killers Education Conference Room 11-12

25

26

27

28 Nutrition and Your Heart Education Conference Room 11-12

GLUCOSE TESTING 9 -4 VVRMC Clinic 1801 Bedell No charge

BLOOD PRESSURE TESTING WEEK 9 am - 4 pm, VVRMC Front Lobby

THURSDAY

7 8 Stress and Your Heart Heritage Group Room 11-12

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

2 3 Wear Red Day Yoga on the to bring lawn attention to 10:30-11 a.m.

Women’s Lawn w/ oaks Heart Health near side entrance 9

10 Tai Chi on the lawn 10:30-11 a.m.

Lawn w/oaks near side entrance

15

16

17 Zumba on the lawn 10:30-11 a.m.

Lawn w/ oaks near side entrance

22

23

24

Meet and Greet Cardiac Service Providers, 5-6:30 p.m., VVRMC Lobby

Sit to Fit 10:30-11 a.m.

Education Conference Room

BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR VVRMC’S CARDIAC REHAB SERVICES!

We invite you to join us for all Heart Health Month Events and Activities.

Most events/activities are free of charge. Note that it is possible times and events may change. Check our website www.vvrmc.org for up to the minute information or call (830) 778-3848. Attend 7 of the 11 events offered and you will be eligible for a prize raffle!

living our mission, focused on our vision and empowered by our legacy 56

GRANDE / FEBRUARY 2018