pet of the month1.JPGDylan and Skittles were rescued by Sutherland SALT Admin Extraordinaire, Becca Menso, in her college days—Dylan from an irresponsible roommate and Skittles from an irresponsible neighbor. All three being suburban Maryland natives (and Maryland Terrapin fans!), they recently made their big move to the Logan Circle neighborhood in the District of Columbia and are loving city life.

Dylan, lean and sleek, is the more curious of the two. His favorite activities include investigating strangers, hunting spiders, and drinking July pet of the month2.jpgfrom the toilet on hot summer days. Dylan is content to watch television with Mom on the couch and is loyal beyond belief. Skittles, chubby and hungry, is less active (not that Dylan is working hard…). He is excited that his new apartment does not have stairs. “Fat falls fast!” is his slogan. He enjoys hiding from guests and meowing loudly after a long day of sitting and staring out of the window.

Skittles is also a sports fan and loves the Kitty Half-Time Show during the Puppy Bowl and is an expert at Ultimate Daydreaming.

Shakes 1.JPGShakes is a shy and gentle pit bull mix, who is quite the multistate pup. He was rescued by Sutherland summer associate (and aspiring SALT team member) Mikka Gee Conway (University of Minnesota Law School, 2011) and her husband, Mike, in 2004, after being abandoned near a dumpster in North Hollywood, California. Currently living comfortably in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where green grass, trails, squirrels, and rabbits are plentiful, Shakes eagerly awaits his move to Washington D.C. where he hopes to jump into the political scene with all four paws.

Shakes 2.JPGThis handsome fellow is aptly named for the title character in “Shakes the Clown,” the 1991 cult classic starring Bobcat Goldthwait (critically acclaimed as “the Citizen Kane of alcoholic clown movies”). In keeping with clown custom, Shakes has a large repertoire of tricks including shaking hands, sitting up, high-fiving, rolling over and playing dead. His funniest trick is howling along with the answering machine, or whenever he hears Mikka say, “Please leave a message after the beep.” With such a personality, Shakes will be in good company with the other Sutherland SALT pets.

Joe and Michele 2.jpgJoe Borens (aka Joe Joe and Chunky Chicken) is a special four-year-old English bulldog and loyal member of the Borens family. He is particularly loved for some of his unique characteristics, including his ability to sleep 23 hours a day, his wall-shaking snoring and his unwillingness to go outside (even for the most basic of reasons). Most importantly he loves to eat (rocks too!). Joe and Michele.jpgWhile the facial characteristics of English Bulldogs can appear intimidating, Joe adores everyone, including small children, and is excited to see strangers. He is a great companion to Michele’s 9- and 10-year-old daughters who commented, “he snuggles very well.” He has attempted (accidentally) on occasion to take a swim with Michele’s daughters, but instead of doggy paddling, Joe just sinks. With spring passing by all too quickly, Joe is gearing up for a long, sleepy summer. He hates the heat, but maybe that will be incentive enough to take swimming lessons!

Caldwell 1.JPGCaldwell was selected to join the Wright family and become a Sutherland SALT pet because he was the most spirited and unruly of Collie pups in his litter. He is a loyal companion for Scott’s six-year-old daughter Shelby—following her everywhere and sleeping at the foot of her bed, and patiently waiting for the many snacks she feeds him. Caldwell 2.JPGCaldwell has pulled “Lassie duty” on several occasions, most notably when he shepherded her away from the street when Shelby struck out on an outdoor adventure at age three. Caldwell has his priorities straight—he is quick to leap fences to chase squirrels and climb rock ledges during family hikes, but is dependent upon Scott to lift all 90 pounds of him when getting him into the car.

Penny 1.JPGPenny, a Tibetan terrier, made the move from California to Washington, D.C., one year ago to become a Sutherland SALT pet. Penny enjoys an active social life, with daily visits from her walker, Charlie, and weekly walks Penny 2.JPGwith her play group around Dupont Circle. Pilar notes that Penny is the smartest and most playful dog she has ever owned (and she is not Pilar’s first dog): “I often see her sizing me up, trying to decide whether she really needs to cooperate with my requests—most often she refuses, but in a very sweet and mischievous way. You can’t help but laugh.” Although she is not eligible for frequent flyer miles, Penny is an expert traveler, having logged roughly 75,000 miles on United with trips to visit family and friends before settling down in D.C.