Rotary Ruff Life - The Volun-tailed, Rotarian Dog Profiles
Jun 22, 2022
You can judge a club by the company they keep. Here at Lake Country we think some of the best volunteers are the volun-tailed. So, let’s meet some of our favourite Rotary pups!
Scout
This handsome lab is also known as Scouty Bear, Scoutastic and Scoutavious Doggapoppolus.
Scout is a senior volunteer with a long history of club service. From carrying drinks and snacks in his backpack for trail clean-ups to helping create awareness on World Polio Day. He was the first dog of the Rotary Club of Lake Country in 2015/16 when his human was president. He loves meeting people and helping the club on projects…especially when there are snacks. On outdoor projects Scout takes ecology very seriously. He practices the mantra “leave only footprints” as he meticulously inspects the ground for foreign matter (aka donuts and pizza) that could upset the delicate constitution of the indigenous fauna. Scout is known to be so effective at neutralizing the snack threat that he often locates the source and protects the environment and volunteers before it can become an issue. It’s known as a pre-emptive counter snack strike. Now at 15 years old he’s slowing down from his arduous volunteer schedule to focus on supervising. Even with the loss of his eyesight, Scout is proving you don’t need eyes to supervise, especially when it comes to Rotary volunteers.
Why did Scout join?: Belly rubs and biscuits
How does Rotary meet Scout’s needs?: Belly rubs and biscuits
Why does Scout stay?: Belly rubs and biscuits
Scout’s Rotary volunteer highlights:
- Trail work
- Road clean up
- Canada Day celebrations
- Youth Exchange students
- Lobster Crawl fundraisers
- World Polio Day campaigns
Emma
Emma is an 8 lb. pure-bred Shitzu and loves to travel with her people. She loves meeting people along the way. Everyone says “she’s so cute,” which she already knows. She’s a princess.
Here we are at the Sign Post Forest in Watson Lake, Yukon. It’s a little cool out so Emma has her grey sweater on. Fingers crossed her people buy her a Yukon sweater to wear back home!
Peanut
At 15 years of age, Peanut has seen everything. Nothing surprises her as she listens with her Yoda-like tilt of the head, and habitually shows her scorn for those all the weaklings around her with the slight curl of her left-lower lip under her steely, imposing eyebrows. Able to cow even the largest over-curious dogs into submission with just one quick yap in their general direction, Peanut rules the dog-park without even thinking about breaking a sweat.
Drew
Drew has breeding that even at age 11 makes him excitable, with American Eskimo and Papillion in the mix. He hasn’t got the same aura or finesse as Peanut, but still manages to let the other dog-park denizens know when enough is enough. Unfortunately, Drew completely loses his mojo when someone produces a ball: he is compelled to start barking at the poor sap holding it to throw it, AND NOW! Generally no one beats Drew to a ball in flight, but he is always well-mannered about bringing it back and dropping it so that he can start barking hysterically again, telling the human to get on with throwing the darn thing!
Farley
And then there is Farley. Named for author Farley Mowat, who wrote “The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be”, Farley’s name was decided long before a breeder was located! There had to be some Cavalier King Charles Spaniel because that was the dog featured in the book, but luckily the other half turned out to be a lively Beagle and Farley has become a 4-year-old wonder dog with a rare combination of skills: Office greeter and protector rivaling even the best at Walmart; puppy play-mate for his 14-week-old Samoyed cousin; Meal-time food-dish cleaner for Peanut’s and Drew’s leftovers; Good-natured tagalong in Home Depot and any store or bank in Osoyoos, and generally great companion and friend. Farley also provides really useful background ‘white noise’ in the office with his snoring during client appointments. Some people pay a lot of money for that kind of relaxing ambience!
