What Happens in Vegas - Comes to Best Friends!
Janine & Mike first heard about Best Friends several years ago, and were able to arrange a visit here in April 2006. Not only did they feel it was a life changing experience for themselves, they also changed the lives of one of the dogs at Best Friends, by adopting Brandon, an 8 year old arthritic, grumpy German Shepard mix.
When they decided to get married, they thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share their love of Best Friends with a 'captive audience' of friends and family. Janine says of the wedding party's visit to Best Friends that "at one time or another, most everyone was in tears as we heard a story or witnessed the unconditional love and trust these animals showed to us, complete strangers. My brother Glenn loved that as cars passed one another, everyone waved!"
Their recent visit to Best Friends has inspired everyone in the group to volunteer more, commit more time to animals in need, and simply to do more. A doggy sleepover that Mike & Janine had with Churchill has given Janine the impetus to develop a new cause - fighting Breed Specific Legislation.
Churchill (pictured above with Janine and here with Mike) is a pit bull mix, and Janine said that while they would have loved to adopt him, due to a city ordinance back home where they live, they wouldn't be able to adopt him without a padlock, a 7 foot fence, $100,000 in extra insurance and a muzzle. As Janine says, "what a joke for such gentle creatures."
Janine's brother is a local radio show host, and he put pictures and details of Best Friends up on his blog, and wrote that visiting Best Friends was a bigger highlight of his trip than watching his sister get married!
They did bring home a new family member - when they attended puppy socialization class led by Don, they fell in love with Gary Player (the puppy, not the golfer!). Not being huge golf fans, they renamed him after their favorite baseball player instead, Trot Nixon (Nixie for short). Nixie joins the newlyweds, Brandon, and six kitties.
Congratulations to Janine & Mike starting their new life together and Thank You for introducing Best Friends to the people who are important in your lives.
Story by Jennifer Johnson