Maybe Those People Just Had Pet Allergies?

The fact that I’m at a fundraising dinner for wolf research and education makes this even more ironic. My partner and I are some of the first to arrive, and we happily take a seat at a big communal table already occupied by a gentleman with a service dog.

We start chatting and he sadly tells us how many dirty looks he’s received as people passed them by. We witness some of the treatment as people head further into the facility. The dog is a beautiful black lab mix and lying patiently at his side. We don’t bother her but we talk about animals and the shelters and rescue. The current facility has a pack of wolves raised by people and serves as an example for education while they still respect them as wild animals.

After everyone filters in, our table is still mostly empty but one of the staff brings a bowl of water for the service dog (with permission). The meals are terrific and our table fills up with the staff and biologists from the facility. We also get to meet the facility’s founder!

The conversation is amazing and the gentleman even gives a brief “release” command so his service dog can do the happy puppy thing and get pets from everyone. At the end, he gives her a signal and it’s back to work.

It was so cool to witness and interact with him and these amazing professionals, all because we chose to sit by a working dog.