Happy Memorial Day!
Happy Memorial Day! Our Muttville founder, Sherri Franklin, is the featured credo in this week’s Sunday San Francisco Examiner!
http://www.sfexaminer.com/lifestyle/Credo-Sherri-Franklin-95127579.html
Meet the talented filmmaker behind our new short film, "Welcome to Muttville"
Rachelle Phillips, a USF student and aspiring filmmaker, honored Muttville with an inspirational and upbeat 7-minute documentary that captured the essence of our organization’s mission to educate and rescue senior dogs. She did a great job learning about us. We wanted to learn more about Rachelle!
Tell us about yourself and what you are studying/majoring in at USF.
I grew up in Santa Rosa, CA, as the oldest of three and always had to be the shining example. I got excellent grades all through school, and realized in high school that I’m quite the skilled writer. That made me want to pursue a career in journalism, and I ended up being editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper. When it came time to pick a college, all I knew was that I needed to be in San Francisco. I ended up at USF and am currently a Media Studies major, and a Journalism and Film double-minor. I now work for the school newspaper, the San Francisco Foghorn, and hopefully will work for a media company after I graduate!
What was the assignment?
This documentary was our final project, and it was to create (film, produce, edit) a documentary of better quality than our first. We were supposed have put our best learned skills to the test.
What’s your history/background with animals/dogs?
I’ve always had an obsession with animals. I brought my first pet home in a paper bag from Safeway! There was a woman sitting outside the store selling off her kittens, and my Mom said we could have one because we did not have any other animals. I brought home my first kitten, Spooky, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Throughout the years I’ve had every pet imaginable; hamsters, rats, fish, snakes, snails, rabbits, lizards, and many more cats were added to the collection. Sadly, I’ve never had a dog :( My Dad was bit by one when he was little, so his childhood trauma caused my lack of a canine companion. So to fill the void, I got a job at a local family-owned pet store in my hometown and worked there for 4 years. I then had to quit and move to San Francisco for school, and amazingly I was able to find a job at Pawtrero Hill Bathhouse & Feed Co., which is where I currently work. I get to play with dogs every day now :)
How did you decide to make Muttville the subject of your thesis?
I wanted to do my documentary on Muttville because I know about the seriousness of animal shelters and what is happening to dogs and cats. I get infuriated when people do not fix their dogs because they want to breed them to make a profit, especially when so many animals are being euthanized in shelters. It also makes me very sad when I go to shelters and see older dogs and cats waiting to be taken home, which many times does not happen. I love my cat Spooky (now 18 and a half years old) more than anything and I know that even though she is a senior, she has so much more love in her to give! It’s important that people know that senior animals are still amazing, so getting Muttville’s name out there is something that I feel passionate about.
How did you learn about Muttville?
I learned about Muttville from working at Pawtrero. They have a little Muttville pin tacked up behind our counter, and I asked what it was for. They said “oh it’s Muttville. They rescue senior dogs.” I was interested!
What are your career aspirations?
I would love to work in a media position, doing anything along the lines of writing, filming, editing, etc. Maybe working for an animal magazine or filming animal productions!
Anything else about you that Muttville would love to know?
I loved doing my project on Muttville! I’m so happy that Amanda and I were able to work together to make it happen, and that everything turned out great. Muttville should be publicized as much as possible, you guys do an amazing thing and people need to know about it :)
Here’s her wonderful Muttville video:
Budding volunteers
From our youngest volunteer, Ella:
Hi, I am Ella. I am 12 and a 7th grade student in SF and a Muttville volunteer. I find that being at Muttville and working with all of the amazing dogs gives me a feeling of happiness and pride. All of the other volunteers and foster parents are so nice, kind and supportive that I always feel comfortable there. The dogs are so sweet. But it’s hard when they get adopted. For instance, I loved one of the dogs named Bee Gee and he was the sweetest. And then he got adopted. I felt so sad I cried. But on the other hand, I was happy that he found a home with people that would love him. In a way, I’m happy because now I can finally understand how to appreciate these dogs, knowing they may find homes in places other than my heart.
Look who's driving
It was another incredible weekend for the Muttville dogs.
On Saturday we were grateful to have the space in front of our friends at fit Bernal fit and of course our dogs were a hit because, hey, it’s Bernal Heights! That’s where I live and I picked it because Bernal loves dogs. We’re so honored that fit Bernal fit donated 50% of all new sign-up fees to their gym to Muttville that day. Thank you!
And Sunday Mill Valley – what can I say. Mill Valley loves their dogs, there’s no question. I was so exhausted from the event on Saturday that I asked Hannah to drive up to Mill Valley – here she is pictured, our chauffeur for the day. We had a ton of adoptions this weekend, Hannah included!
Even with all the events, we still have many wonderful senior dogs listed on our website. If you’d like to meet someone, please email us and we can set up a meeting for you and the foster family. It’s never too late for a new beginning!
A life wish
“I think I have to write about death,” I said.
To this, my friend replied with silence.
“Have you ever lost a pet?” I asked.
“I’d rather not talk about it,” said my friend, gently and apologetically.
This is the way in which he chose to engage in life in that moment. With fear.
I recently spent time with a well-traveled woman who had just spent 60 days in Zimbabwe – she was completely off the grid for 30 of those days. Her friends and family had no idea if she was alive or dead, for 30 heart-wrenching days. She spoke to me of her love of the country, of her plans to return and help, however she could.
“People have said that I have a death wish,” she told me. “But it’s a life wish.”
A life wish!
That, I am convinced, is what people who come to Muttville have. A life wish. People who adopt Muttville dogs talk about the dogs they’ve lost, they dogs they still have, and the dogs they will have (loved, love, will love). We do not live in fear. We engage in life.
If you have adopted from Muttville, you know this about yourself: You have a life wish. Pat yourself on the back. Thank you for coming to Muttville.
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OUR SUPPORTERS
Thank you to Muttville’s human friends who generously donate their goods and services.
Hurvis Charitable Foundation
Jamie Anderson DVM
Jen Scarlett DVM
Pan American Veterinary Corporation
Pawtrero Hill BathHouse & Feed Co.
Pedigree Adoption Drive Foundation
Siobhan O’Connor DVM
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
Sit Stay Technology
Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR MOOLAH FOR MUTTS SPONSORS
Joe Marko
