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Furs Fins & Feathers
Fur, Fins and Feathers
By BRIAN LOWNEY
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By Brian J. Lowney There are few folks who don’t own or at least enjoy a furry, finned, or feathered creature!
Whether it’s a cat, dog, iguana, parakeet,
Macaw, pot-bellied pig, and even a tarantula or exotic lizard, our obsession with pets, both large and small, continues to grow by leaps and bounds.
My own cable television program, Fur, Fins and
Feathers, broadcast on Swansea Cable Television at Joseph Case High School in Swansea,
Mass., is now carried throughout much of Massachusetts and also at cable stations in Vermont, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Colorado, and other communities throughout the United
States. Now celebrating its 66th episode, the half-hour long broadcast continues to attract viewers who are interested in the program’s lively format.
As the program expands and attracts new followers across the country, I introduce animal loving listeners to new breeds and activities.
When I became interested in the sport of dogs in 1980, there were just a few canine-related activities to enjoy. Today, there are more than a dozen performance-related activities and the
AKC now registers almost 200 breeds.
One recent episode featured Taunton, Massachusetts resident, Chris Bartos, who featured her two most recent breeds, an Irish Water
Spaniel and a Lowchen, a small companion breed developed in Germany, known as “a little lion.” When I was a young boy, my father’s friend announced that he had a litter of puppies for sale. The Basset-Beagle mixes cost five dollars and my father, mother, young brother, and I visited the Westport, Massachusetts farm where the puppy was handed to our enthusiastic family. The playful hound, named “Annie,” lived with us for more than 13 years and stole more than her share of the neighbor’s rubbers, toys, garden gloves, and anything else she could grab.
When I graduated from college in the While Bartos enjoys many activities with her late ‘70s, and began working, I sought to dogs, her passion is agility. Agility is a growing purchase a purebred dog. I started read- dog sport in the United States, with over 1 miling “Dog World” from cover to cover and lion entries to the AKC’s Agility program each became mesmerized by all the fascinat- year. Dogs race against a clock, as they naviing canine breeds. Remember that those were the pre-Internet days, and I was gate an obstacle course with strong concentra tion and speed. intrigued by the late Louis Iacobucci’s Sunday pet column that appeared in the Bartos explains that agility competitions allow breeds of all sizes to work with their owners to
Sunday Providence Journal. have fun and get exercise.
After reading about the fabled Sealyham The busy woman, who is employed at Franklin terrier, I sought to purchase a puppy, Park Zoo in Boston, enjoys training her dogs but I could not find that particular breed in a variety of canine-related pursuits, includavailable. I then searched for my sec- ing tracking and scent work, and says that her ond choice, a basset hound, but couldn’t locate a puppy in the area. I started activities keep her busy and constantly active and learning. attending local dog shows, such as the events sponsored by the Providence Ocean State resident, Alexandra Rey, a native of Colombia and owner of Paw Prints Pet Arts,
County Kennel Club and became fascinat- began her obsession with animals as a small ed by the various breeds and their unique child and continues to develop her passion as histories. Every time I visited a show, I wanted a different breed. Blue terrier for sale at a local kennel in Swansea, I immediately called. The local breeder owned Kerries and Wire-Fox terriers and had one Kerry puppy for sale. Needless to say, Connolly of Castletown arrived home that day and my life changed forever. Being a terrier, Connolly was a bit rambunctious and needed training. I was teaching in Westport at the time and one of my student’s fathers also owned dogs and was active in a local kennel club. I brought my dog for training, never thinking about dog shows, but just rather to have a dog that would behave and settle down. I enrolled in a class taught by Al Kirby, a consummate dog trainer from Westport, Massachusetts, who together with his wife Betty, owned Stonehouse Kennels, renowned breeders of Great Danes and Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Kirby invited my mother and I to join the Wampanoag Ken nel Club, an organization of which I am still a member. The Kirbys invited me to attend dog shows as a spectator, and once I attended my first “fun match” and won a ribbon, I was soon hooked. While Connolly won a few champion points, he never was a title holder. He truly was a beloved family companion, however, and spent hours every day sitting along70 Shop In RI side my father, who was suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
When I was a young boy, my father’s friend announced that he had a litter of puppies for sale. The Basset-Beagle mixes cost five dollars and my father, mother, young brother, and I visited the Westport, Massachusetts farm where the puppy was handed to our enthusiastic family. The playful hound, named “Annie,” lived with us for more than 13 years and stole more than her share of the neighbor’s rubbers, toys, garden gloves, and anything else she could grab. When I graduated from college in the late ‘70s, and began working, I sought to purchase a purebred dog. I started reading “Dog World” from cover to cover and became mesmerized by all the fascinating canine breeds. Remember that those were the pre-Internet days, and I was intrigued by the late Louis Iacobucci’s Sunday pet column that appeared in the Sunday Providence Journal. After reading about the fabled Sealyham terrier, I sought to purchase a puppy, but I could not find that particular breed available. I then searched for my second choice, a basset hound, but couldn’t locate a puppy in the area. I started attending local dog shows, such as the events sponsored by the Providence County Kennel Club and became fascinated by the various breeds and their unique histories. Every time I visited a show, I wanted a different breed. Once I learned that there was a Kerry
By BRIAN LOWNEY
Blue terrier for sale at a local kennel in Swansea, I immediately called. The local breeder owned Kerries and Wire-Fox terriers and had one Kerry puppy for sale. Needless to say, Connolly of Castletown arrived home that day and my life changed forever. Being a terrier, Connolly was a bit rambunctious and needed training. I was teaching in Westport at the time and one of my student’s fathers also owned dogs and was active in a local kennel club. I brought my dog for training, never thinking about dog shows, but just rather to have a dog that would behave and settle down. I enrolled in a class taught by Al Kirby, a consummate dog trainer from Westport, Massachusetts, who together with his wife Betty, owned Stonehouse Kennels, renowned breeders of Great Danes and Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Kirby invited my mother and I to join the Wampanoag Kennel Club, an organization of which I am still a member. The Kirbys invited me to attend dog shows as a spectator, and once I attended my first “fun match” and won a ribbon, I was soon hooked. While Connolly won a few champion points, he never was a title holder. He truly was a beloved family companion, however, and spent hours every day sitting alongside my father, who was suffering from Parkinson’s disease. During my career in Kerries, I have exhib-
“When my oldest mare died, I allowed the others to an award-winning artist whose work is sold see her, sniff her body, and realize that she had died, and exhibited across the globe. not just disappeared,” she wrote. Pugh added that the mare’s daughter, Dolly, was brought out of the barn to “I used to rescue all kinds of pets, even small witness the burial.mice,” she begins. “That really drove my mother crazy,” she adds. “She stood over her mother until the heavy equipment came to move the body, dig her burial spot, and bring Rey’s artistic inspiration came from her faher down to the site,” Pugh continued. “Dolly followed ther, a renowned painter who shared his gifts the backhoe and waited patiently, standing guard until with his daughter. She was also self-taught her mother was completely covered and the equipment and later studied at the Arturo Tejada Cano in left. From that day forward, when she was let out of her Bogota, where she studied fashion design and stall in the morning, the first place Dolly would go was marketing. to her mother’s grave and stand over it for a few moments before moving on to graze. She is now buried “I’ve worked in Los Angeles and in Miami for alongside her mother.”many years, and while my artistic creations have appeared in magazines and in galleries Pugh revealed that cows also grieve. in many places, I always truly enjoy drawing and painting animals,” she emphasizes, adding “I saw my neighbor’s cow give birth to a premature calf,” that she relishes in painting in oils and acrylshe recalled. “It didn’t live long, less than an hour. As ics, and is well known for her realistic portraits the mother stood over her baby, trying to nudge it back in pencil and pastels. to life, all the other cows gathered around. Then they formed a line and each cow walked by, gently touch“I love every animal that is alive,” Rey shares. ing the dead calf and then moved on. It was the most “I refuse to kill any living thing, even if it’s amazing thing I had ever seen.” Pugh remembers that the cows also comforted the mother by gently nudging a bug. I just push it out the door and let it thrive.” her and remaining with the grieving animal for the rest of the day. “Years later, when that same farmer’s horse died and was being buried, the cows that had been lying in the cool shade under the trees all stood up and watched the burial. It was almost like they were paying respect to the dead,” she added.
The talented artist started an Etsy store online six years ago by creating various products made from her original artwork and designs. “I started developing pet-related bags, cards, prints, mugs, placemats, dishes, and many other items,” she says, adding that she is always creating new products for animal lovers. Rey and her husband, Fabio Sarrico, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, currently share their home with Mia, a terrier-mix, and two guinea pigs, Bernie, age 5 and Coco, a 4 year-old that was adopted from the Potter League in Middletown. “I have a constant flow of commissions from my work,” the artist shares, speaking about the sale of her drawings, paintings, and other items on Etsy, and from recent sales at local craft shows. “I recently attended my first Providence Artisans Market and I received a good response,” she says. “I obtained several commissions so I will be very busy. I really have fun learning about new breeds and new animals.” Rey shares that she enjoys working with pet owners to create a beautiful piece of art that will endure for many years, and cherishes the bond that the team develops as the portrait is being created, as well as the shared enthusiasm with the final result. “My ambition is very high,” she ends. “I want to expand my product line and I plan to distribute my work to stores nationwide.” For more information, visit Rey’s artwork on Etsy or email her: pawprintspetart@gmail.com.
MORE THAN JUST A FISH STORE MORE THAN JUST A FISH STORE Essentials for All Your Animals Needs Essentials for All Your Animals Needs
MORE THAN JUST A FISH STORE Essentials for All Your Animals Needs Dog Facts You Didn’t Know
• A dog’s nose has about 4 times as many scent cells as a cat’s and 14 times more than a human’s. That’s why dogs are often used to track down illegal drugs and missing persons. They can sniff out their dinner from any room in the house!
• With patience and understanding you can teach any old dog new tricks, depending on what you are trying to teach, or un-teach the dog, which is usually more difficult. Dogs can learn at any age, and like humans, it’s just old habits that are hard to break!
• According to a recent survey, the most popular name for a dog is Max. Other popular names include Molly, Sam, Zach, and Maggie.
• An estimated 1 million dogs in the United States have been named the primary beneficiary in their owner’s will.
• Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not sweat by salivating. They sweat through the pads of their feet.
• Dogs can alert their owners of an epileptic seizure up to an hour before it occurs.
• Walt Disney’s family dog was named Lady. She was a poodle.
• The heaviest dog ever weighed 319 pounds.
• The oldest dog ever died at age 29.
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The well-known animal authority advises horse owners to allow their other equines to see the deceased before it’s removed or buried because animals understand death and need to mourn the passing. “Unfortunately, I have had to use my own advice more often than I cared to,” she concluded. “Being that their lifespan is thirty years or more, you develop a close relationship with them and it’s devastating when they die.”
