MEET THE SECOND -PLACE FINISHER THOR Thor, a French bulldog, came into Stephanie Meek’s life when he was 10 weeks old. Meek says, “He is from a rescue group—the breeder was taking his litter to a puppy auction [where they are sold to other breeders or pet stores], and since his entire litter was underweight and several had deformities, they would not have been able to sell them. So the rescue stepped in and got them. He had an umbilical hernia and also had very narrow nostril openings, which he has since had surgery to correct. I applied to adopt him on Friday, talked to the rescue on Saturday, and flew out to pick him up on Sunday!” Thor’s a huge goofball, she says. He loves to snuggle and is always up for a belly rub. “He is a total momma’s boy and follows me around the house everywhere. Currently, he knows about 25 tricks and commands and is learning agility as well, as he will do just about anything for food! He is also a model with Arizona Animal Actors and has been featured in PetSmart ads.” Since coming into their household two years ago, Thor has brought constant joy to the entire family. Says Meek, “He reminds us to not take little things so seriously and makes us laugh every day with his silly antics.”
MEET THE THIRD-PLACE FINISHER
DIXIE When Karen Foulds spotted Dixie, a terrier/bulldog (with a dash of mastiff) mix, at Maricopa County Animal Control, she instantly knew she was the dog for her. “We had recently lost our 10-year-old Dalmatian mix, and the house wasn’t the same,” Foulds says. “I spotted Dixie at the shelter while looking for another Dalmatian, and her coloring and face resembled the dog I had just lost, so I knew it was meant to be.” Besides her distinctive look—two different-color ears and unusual spots—Dixie is a lovable gal who likes the limelight. She required a lot of patience as a puppy, but now, at 6 years old, she has brought the Foulds family many happy times and lots of licks and love. EASTvalleymagazine.com JUNE | JULY 2014
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