Rascal's Roadshow

 

Rascal’s Rescue Journey

When my husband, Todd, and I got together, I already had an old, grumpy, but utterly adorable Corgi mix named Farley. He was a rescue from the Monterey County Animal Shelter in California. Though he was a bit of a grouch most of the time, he immediately took to Todd, curling up on his lap like they had been best friends forever.

My wonderful, grumpy, little lump...Farley.

Together, Todd and I adopted a beautiful puppy named Moose at an adoption fair outside a local pet store. He was precious, and we loved him dearly. Sadly, Moose became very ill and passed away after eating poisonous mushrooms on our property. Heartbroken, we swore off getting another dog for a while. But just a few months later, fate had other plans.

The Rescue That Led to Rascal

Todd and I were both police officers in Salinas, California (now retired). Late one night while on patrol, I spotted a man tying a dog to a phone booth outside a 7-Eleven before heading inside. Not five minutes later, I was dispatched to that same store—someone had reported an abandoned dog!

When I arrived, there she was—the beautiful brown puppy I had just seen. With giant paws and soulful eyes that melted my heart, she wagged her tail and jumped right into my patrol car. I was required to take her to the shelter, but before I did, I called Todd to meet me. The moment he saw her, he was smitten!

Annie's ride home from the shelter. 2012

I took her to the Salinas Animal Shelter, which wasn’t staffed at night, and made sure she was safe with food, water, and a cozy blanket. Before leaving, I filled out the necessary paperwork, making it crystal clear that if no one claimed her, we wanted to adopt her. After three anxious days, we got the call—she was ours!

We had no idea what breed she was or how big she would get, but those paws told us she had some serious growing to do! We posted photos on Facebook, asking friends to guess her breed. Everything from Great Dane to Mastiff was suggested. Meanwhile, Todd, who was into Cowboy Action Shooting at the time, named her Annie, after Annie Oakley. Eventually, we did a DNA test and discovered she was 50% Boxer and 50% German Shepherd—the best of both worlds! She had the loyalty and protective instincts of a Shepherd and the affectionate, goofy personality of a Boxer.

Annie in her favorite spot.

"Little" Annie tormented poor Farley daily, crouching down to his height to play with him—though “play” for her mostly meant bounding around while he grumbled about it. She grew into a 110-pound lapdog who could run like the wind.

Enter Rascal!

After we lost our beloved Farley to old age, we knew Annie needed a companion. We had goats and horses, but nothing quite matched the bond between dogs. Todd insisted Annie needed another big, rough-and-tumble buddy, so we found ourselves back at the Salinas Animal Shelter in search of the perfect playmate.

Todd was drawn to an adorable little toasted-marshmallow-colored puppy. He was convinced the pup was a Lab mix, though I wasn’t so sure. I hesitated at first, but eventually, we asked about him—only to find out there was already a name ahead of ours on the adoption list!

The day we met sweet Rascal. 2014

We were told the first family had to pick him up between 11:00 and 11:15. If they weren’t there by 11:16, he was ours. So, at exactly 11:00, I arrived at the shelter with Annie, anxiously watching the clock. At 11:16, the first family was nowhere to be seen. That pup was ours!

The final test? Annie had to approve. As we waited in the meeting room, our friend, Rayne, an employee of the shelter at the time, brought him in. He was full of energy, bouncing around, curious about Annie. At first, Annie wasn’t thrilled—giving low growls and stepping away. I worried they wouldn’t be a match, but Rayne assured me Annie was just setting the ground rules. Sure enough, within minutes, they were fine together, and I got to take him home!

The day we brought Rascal home after his little snip-snip!

I’ve had many animals throughout my life, but this little pup stole my heart like no other. I named him Rascal, and even 11 years later, the name still fits. However, Rascal never did grow into that Lab Todd thought he’d be. Instead, he became a 25-pound ball of Jack Russell Terrier- mix energy—always keeping Annie on her toes!

Annie getting low for some rough-housing with Rascal.

Rascal and Annie bonded quickly. 2014

From California to the White Mountains

After we retired, we packed up and moved to the White Mountains of Arizona. Our first Christmas there was a white Christmas, and the dogs absolutely loved it! Rascal, with his tiny but mighty legs, raced Annie across the snow, determined to keep up with her lightning speed.

Rascal running at high-speed to keep up  with lightning Annie.

This girl loved to run...especially while chasing rabbits!

Speaking of rabbits...Rascal mid bunny hop!

A few years later we decided to get our two grandchildren kittens for Christmas. We found two jet-black brothers at Pet Allies Animal Shelter in Show Low, Arizona. Though we worried about how Annie would react, she quickly proved to be the best kitty mama—especially to the short-haired kitten, who snuggled right up to her.

(L) Stormy & (R) Shadow. 2019

Annie and her baby, Shadow.

Our grandson named his kitten Shadow, while our granddaughter named hers Stormy. Somehow, Todd and I have ended up calling them Panther and Fuzzbutt instead!

Shadow aka Panther Kitty

Stormy aka Fuzzbutt

Saying Goodbye to Annie, and Hitting the Road

Sadly, our beautiful Annie passed away at the age of eight. It was a heartbreaking loss, especially for Todd—she was his baby. But we knew she had an incredible life, and we hold onto the happy memories she left behind.

Our beautiful girl. We love you Annie.

Annie sitting with her favorite person.

Not long after, we made a bold decision. We sold our dream home, thinking we’d downsize into another house. Instead, we down-sized into a 30-foot travel trailer and hit the road with Rascal, Panther, and Fuzzbutt in tow!

Rascal on one of his many travel adventures.

Fuzzbutt (front-left), Panther (back-right) enjoying a little outdoor time on our travels.

Two years later, we’re still on the road, having explored California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho. Next up: Nevada, Oregon, and Washington!

A New Mission: Rascal’s Roadshow

As we travel, I’ve decided to shift the focus of my blog. In each town we visit, I’ll feature local animals, animal stories, and possibly stop by the local animal shelter, leave a donation, and share a story with you about an adoptable pet or two. My goal is to feature a variety of animals, and animal related stories, we find along our journey across the U.S. while shining a light on shelters and the wonderful animals waiting for their forever homes.

🐾 Welcome to Rascal’s Roadshow! 🐾

·  Salinas Animal Shelter: https://www.cityofsalinas.org/our-city-services/animal-services

·  Monterey County Animal Shelter: https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/health/animal-services

Rascal taking in the views at one of the many RV Parks we've visited.