JAD in the news!
...click on each cover for the full scoop from
Mia Stefanko and Amy Fellows
Mia Stefanko and Amy Fellows
family photos by Mikael Tripke Hughes
Darla
Pittapotamus
A refugee from Hurricane Katrina, Darla had no problem
settling into her life in San Diego. She is a happy go lucky
girl who prefers to spend her days snacking and napping.
She enjoys walks, provided they aren’t too long and the day
is a perfect 63 degrees. Her favorite trick is playing dumb
in order to avoid doing anything she doesn’t want to do.
Darla excels at enticing people, any people, into rubbing
her belly, as it is her firm belief that human hands are
best used preparing dog food and rubbing dog bellies.
.JPG)
Jake
Top Dog
Jake is a sensitive boy who loves his people and will only
admit to tolerating all of the dogs that parade through his
house. We have actually witnessed him enjoying some of them
but he still denies it. Jake is a talented certified
Pet
Therapy Dog, an accomplished ball fetcher and dedicated
navigator for car rides. He diligently resists all of Angus’
valiant efforts to cuddle, preferring to cozy up to his
people instead. Jake’s perfect day would include going to
the office, meeting new people, playing ball, going for a
ride and sleeping on the bed.
Angus
Feline Agitator
R.I.P
It is with a heavy heart that we report Angus has gone to
that great scratching post in the sky. A long time diabetic,
he lived life on his own terms and called his shots at the
end as well. He will be sorely missed by the whole JAD crew.
His story...we stopping at a cheap motel in the middle of the night, in the
middle of nowhere to take a break from a long road trip, we
were accosted by a noisy little bag of bones. He followed
us to our room and stood outside the door, meowing loudly.
Suckers that we are, one of us went to the gas station to
get cat food and the other let him into the room. Angus had
been with us ever since. He was an exceptional cat who
considered it his mission to determine the cat friendliness
of the dogs in our program…a true adrenaline junkie!
Steve Smith
Secretary / Treasurer
You want to get WHAT breed? That was pressing question when
Nicole was contemplating the 1st family pit bull.
Although his father was raised with a pit, Steve was brought
up in a feline house, and all he knew about pits were from
sensational media headlines. Now, 15 years later it's hard
to imagine him with any other breed. When not rolling in
the grass with the dogs or fending off Darla's kisses,
Steve's time is spent on his second favorite hobby... Vice
President of a local Hospitality company. Lots of people and
not enough dogs, but he doesn't complain too much!
Nicole Rattay
Director
In 2008, after many years as a dedicated volunteer for BAD
RAP, Nicole began the process of establishing Just A Dog Pit
Bull Rescue. Her experience with rescue and education
efforts, both large and small have uniquely prepared her to
work effectively with owners and shelters to positively
impact pit bulls in San Diego. Under Nicole’s direction,
Just A Dog has successful programs for foster/adoption,
compassion and education. Because of her belief in the
importance of owner support and education, Nicole teaches a
weekly handling class that focuses on communication and team
building between dog and handler.
There have been many special animals through out the years, but Nicole currently shares her home with husband Steve, Jake, Darla and Iggy.
There have been many special animals through out the years, but Nicole currently shares her home with husband Steve, Jake, Darla and Iggy.
cast of characters
just a dog
From time to time, people tell me, 'lighten up, it’s just a dog', or 'that’s a lot of money for just a dog'. They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for just a
dog. Some
of my proudest mom ents have come about with
just a dog.
Many hours have passed and my
only company was just a dog, but I did not once feel slighted.
Some of my saddest
mom ents have been
brought
about by
just a dog, and in
those days of darkness, the
gentle touch of just a dog gave me comfort and reason to overcome the
day. If you, too, think it’s
just a dog, then you will probably understand phrases like 'just a
friend', 'just a sunrise' or 'just a promise'.
Just a dog brings into
my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.
Just a dog brings out the compassion and patience that make me a
better person. Because of just a dog, I will rise early, take long
walks and look longingly to the future. So for
me and folks like me, it’s not
just a dog but an embodiment of all the
hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the
pure joy of the mom ent.
Just
a dog brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day. I hope that someday they can
understand that it’s not just a dog, but the thing that gives me
humanity and keeps me from being 'just a man or woman'. So the next time
you hear the phrase just a dog just smile... because they 'just don’t
understand'. by Richard Biby
From time to time, people tell me, 'lighten up, it’s just a dog', or 'that’s a lot of money for just a dog'. They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for just a
dog. Some
of my proudest about by
just a dog, and in
those days of darkness, the
gentle touch of just a dog gave me comfort and reason to overcome the
day. If you, too, think it’s
just a dog, then you will probably understand phrases like 'just a
friend', 'just a sunrise' or 'just a promise'.
Just a dog brings into
my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.
Just a dog brings out the compassion and patience that make me a
better person. Because of just a dog, I will rise early, take long
walks and look longingly to the future. So for
me and folks like me, it’s not
just a dog but an embodiment of all the
hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the
pure joy of the 