Meet the Three Dogs

Atticus – He was the runt of a five week-old litter dropped off at a pet store on Third Avenue in New York City. Shy at first and wary of strangers, he spent his entire life by Lisa’s side. He got to go to work with her, go shopping with her, and would sit patiently in the laundromat on Avenue A for his favorite toy, Hobbes, to get out of the dryer. Atticus’ life was equal parts caution, humor, and unsurpassed devotion.

Dante – Originally a near-starved stray from the streets of Brooklyn we adopted in Tompkins Square Park. Riddled with parasites and starved to the point where every bone protruded, his infectious enthusiasm and intelligence was obvious even through his deteriorated state. He is currently a Delta Society registered Pet Partner. Doing animal-assisted therapy through H.A.R.T Programs, he and Lisa have visited hundreds of ill and developmentally disabled children and adults in a variety of settings. Dante and Atticus spent six-and-a-half years together, and although Dante was almost double Atticus’ size it was Atticus who taught Dante how to play with toys, sleep on the bed, fluff up his pillows, and Dante was always more than happy to chew on Atticus’ neck in his favorite spot.

Boo – The smallest of our dogs, he was only four or five weeks old when we picked him up. He too was dropped off with his litter at a pet shop like his mentor Atticus. Boo has both physical and cognitive developmental disabilities. His mother was probably sick while pregnant with his litter. Despite very poor eyesight, poor motor control, and difficulties learning simple behaviors, Boo also passed his evaluation to be a Delta Society registered Pet Partner. He loves kids and spends most of his visits listening to children READ, with critically ill children or in schools teaching kids about accepting others with disabilities.

Porthos – The youngest of our dogs was only seven weeks old when we adopted him from New York Pet Rescue. He, along with his mother and litter mates, were rescued from a kill shelter in the Carolinas and brought to New York via the Doggie Underground Railroad. Armed with a goofy smile, a perpetually dangling tongue, and boundless enthusiasm, he’s already showing all of the natural traits that will allow him to follow in his brother’s footsteps and build upon their accomplishments. Although he is some kind of unknown retriever mix, he can pass as a Flat Coat if one doesn’t look too closely. True to form for a retriever, he can hold two water bottles and a tennis ball in his mouth all at the same time. He too has passed his Delta evaluation process and is a registered Pet Partner. Porthos will be six years old in February of 2010.