Town time for Hamish!
I love town time. All my friends. All those people.
And the library . . . I love the library. That’s where my buddy Jade lives.
That’s where I get treats. Top drawer.
Maybe I’ll see a friend.
Maybe I’ll make a friend.
Life is good.
I love town time.
***
Hamish, Scottish for James, is one of more than 200 four-legged Friends of the Patagonia Library. While mom Brenda Pentland checks out books, Hamish checks out people and other dogs, receiving non-returnable treats dispersed by library staff and paid for by pack leader Jade DeForest.
“I love animals. I love dogs,” said DeForest, the mother of four rescues.
Hired by the library 4 ½ years ago, DeForest recounts how the whole thing got started.
“I would see people come in here and tie their dogs up outside,” DeForest said. “I thought ‘this is crazy.’”
Posing the question of dog inclusion to then library director Laura Wenzel, DeForest found no resistance.
“More and more people started coming to the library because they could bring their dogs,” DeForest said.
What started as dog visits escalated to a dog photo gallery posted on the library’s west wall. There’s a “dog-of-the-month” picture profile. And perhaps — future state — a Patagonia Library dog calendar.
Say Hello to some of the Dogs of the Patagonia Library
It should be noted that some dogs forget to tell their humans when they will be visiting the library. They just, well, end up there on their own.
“The first time it happened it was this white fluffy dog that just showed up at the front door,” DeForest said. Thinking the owner was around the corner, the pup was granted access and given a snack. At some point DeForest realized “Mom” wasn’t coming. A phone call quickly got to the problem —an open gate.
“A lot of these dogs (visiting the library) are rescues,” DeForest said. Which means they’re scared. Quickly, though, the furbies learn to trust.
“We had one dog that came in here … he was so frightened. He would shake violently. He wouldn’t make eye contact.” Sitting on the floor, DeForest tempted Henry with the library’s signature treat — Organic Chicken Jerky Sticks from Sprouts. He relented. “He went from that, to barking, to come in” on walks down Duquesne Street.
DeForest smiles while recounting the transformation. “He’s a gorgeous, silly dog.”
The library assistant’s ability to connect with animals is a function of her DNA. Her mother, Jean Tait,was gifted in that regard. Horses, cows, dogs — you name it. DeForest jokes that if her mom could have given birth to puppies instead of children, she would have.
“She would say, ‘Anybody can talk to a dog. But you have to be able to listen. They’ll tell you exactly what they need.’”
Which is what DeForest did with Daniela, a lab mix who had been abused badly enough that Santa Cruz County Animal Control deemed her unlikely to be pet-worthy. Adopted at about age seven, Daniela was driven to the library by her new family. The pup was too frightened to come in. So, DeForest went to her, climbing into the front seat and eventually coaxing her to accept a treat. Now Daniela is an “irregular” visitor, a function of hip dysplasia. When she is there, though, the gentle sage wags her tail and gladly accepts treats, her physical and mental scars long since healed.
Moving on to Riddley, a scholarly member of the beloved Patagonia institution. The German Shepard/Akita mix has a dual role as Ambassador and Chief Protection Officer. Often, he can be found in repose behind the checkout desk as mom Pamela Freeman looks for books. (Riddley confided, however, that the lounging position is a ruse, aimed at foiling nefarious activity by visiting ne’er-do-wells.)
“In my year as library director, I’ve seen how well-behaved dogs help bring people together in a positive manner,” said Linda Shore. “People start up general conversations because they have a four-legged friend in common, which is preferable to a political discussion in the lobby.”
Like DeForest, Shore pointed out that there are health benefits to dogs. And research bears that out. According to the Mayo Clinic, dogs have the capacity to lower stress hormones (cortisol) and boost mood-enhancing chemicals (oxytocin). They encourage daily exercise, improve cardiovascular health and reduce loneliness by acting as a natural social catalyst.
Brenda Pentland, Hamish’s Mom, can attest to the latter. Moving here in 2019, she knew the town dogs before she knew their families.
“Dogs are a real icebreaker. They bring people together,” she said. “I joke that everyone in Congress should be forced to bring a puppy to the session.”
***
I’d like to go to Congress.
I bet they have great treats.
I bet there are a lot of nice people there.
And dogs.
Life is good.