A new relationship with animals, nature and each other.

An Evening with Daniel

I’ve been in New Jersey for the last few days, and one of the high points was on Friday evening at the Shelter Showcase … not just meeting all the good folks from grassroots organizations, along with the many people who support their adoption and spay/neuter efforts, but also the star of the show: Daniel.

You’ll remember Daniel from late last year when, at an Alabama dog pound, this remarkable beagle came out of the gas chamber alive. He was brought to New Jersey, where many people offered to adopt him, and he was placed in the home of Joe and Geralynn Dwyer.

By now, Daniel was a celebrity. Here he is on TV with Anderson Cooper. And while Eleventh Hour Rescue, the group that brought him to New Jersey, was obviously concerned that Daniel not be stressed, let alone exploited, in any way, one thing that’s striking about him is how much enjoys meeting people, being the center of attention, and making the rounds of other groups, schools and meetings where he can be a spokes-dog for all the homeless pets who lose their lives in shelters.

Joe and Geralynn are deeply committed to the cause of homeless pets, and it was truly touching to see Daniel in a home that’s just perfect for him and so valuable to all the animals he and his “mom and dad” are committed to rescuing.

Thanks, Daniel, Geralynn and Joe!

P.S. It was also a pleasure to be at the New Jersey Animal Welfare Conference, about which more later, and just heading over now to a high school in Red Bank to talk to the students about our relationship with other kinds of animals.