"Baby, I was born this way"

"The Life and Times of Maggie Houlihan,"
The Coast News, May 13, 2011
Lillian Cox

Last week I had the privilege of being asked to profile Encinitas councilwoman and former mayor, Maggie Houlihan for The Coast News.

I remember meeting Maggie around 1990 at the Olivenhain Meeting Hall for a small gathering of people concerned about the high euthanasia rate at county shelters brought on by pet overpopulation. That meeting was part of Maggie's effort to establish what is now known as SNAP (Spay Neuter Action Project). A few years later she founded Wee Companions, another rescue group for hamsters, guinea pigs and rats. Maggie has also been very active in the House Rabbit Society and turtle rescue. In fact, when she won a libel suit against a political opponent who posted a sign reading "Houlihan is a whore" along Interstate 5 during the 2006 election, she used her $6,000 judgment (after paying the attorneys) for a new enclosure for rescued turtles who live on her property. She told me, "I couldn't in good conscience spend the money on myself."

What some people may not know is that Maggie has fought just as valiantly for the disabled, seniors and other underserved members of our community. I remember during our interview her explaining: "I grew up always sensitive to suffering and injustice. I didn’t like eating meat or people making fun of kids in class who were heavy.”

While Maggie battles endometrial cancer, she continues to fight the good fight by inspiring young people to get involved in politics through lectures she gives on local government at San Dieguito Academy and MiraCosta College.

Maggie is one of those rare and beautiful people you meet in life who marches to her own drum, inspiring others to follow their hearts and minds to also do the right thing. As the expression goes, "When God made Maggie Houlihan, He broke the mold."

Romeo Debuts Last Night During American Idol

After posting the story (below) about my visit with Romeo ME K9 3, I was surprised to see the number of hits on the blog escalate by the hundreds. The local news later picked up on the story as I discovered last night while watching American Idol. During the final minutes, the show cut to a teaser for Fox 5 San Diego 10 o'clock news featuring Romeo hard at work at the Medical Examiner's office.

Later I learned that Channel 8, the CBS affiliate, also did a terrific story on Romeo.

CSI: San Diego K9? Introducing Romeo, ME K9 3

Three weeks ago Romeo was among the many sad, homeless faces at the Central Shelter in San Diego.

Today, he is the latest member of the elite, K9 search and rescue team in the County Medical Examiner's office, the only unit of its kind in the nation.

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of meeting Romeo at his new home that he shares with San Diego County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Glenn Wagner and his wife, Joan. Also there to greet me was the Wagner's Chesapeake retriever, Cocoa Bean, and LuLu, another former shelter dog who became ME K9 2. Last summer, as she began her job, I profiled LuLu in this blog and The San Diego Union-Tribune.

When I took LuLu's picture in the walk-in refrigerator her first day of work it was apparent, by her ears which were pinned back, that she was not completely comfortable in her new environment. Dr. Wagner reports that Romeo, to the contrary, has enthusiastically embraced the scents associated with his job. (I think it's a guy thing.)

Romeo is only 5 months old, and still growing. Over the next 18 months he'll be trained in air sniffing, tracking and trailing with the goal of being a FEMA-certified cadaver dog assigned to the John & Jane Doe Center, a component of the Investigations Division of the Medical Examiner's office. Chief Medical Examiner Investigator Gretchen Geary, head of the division, is responsible for coordinating in-house efforts to identify some 200-300 John & Jane Does each year.

"We have a 97 percent identification rate which is quite remarkable and the center has received national recognition," Dr. Wagner reports.

Geary is also the owner/trainer/handler of Thelia, ME K9 1, a 6-year-old, FEMA-certified bloodhound. Together, they are involved in all search and recovery efforts, working regularly with Sheriff's Search and Rescue, Border Patrol and Southwest Search Dogs, a volunteer group.

In recruiting Romeo and LuLu for his department, Dr. Wagner explained that he relied on the pool of dogs available at the three county shelters, regularly viewing dogs on the Department of Animal Services' website. "I think shelter dogs deserve a chance," Dr. Wagner said. LuLu is pictured here with 11-year-old Cocoa, who is occasionally called upon to work in the ME's office, specifically in their nationally-acclaimed Bereavement Center.

I was heartened to see LuLu's transformation from a skittish rescue pup to a confident, well-adjusted dog. My presence obviously didn't deter Romeo and her from enjoying a lazy Saturday afternoon snooze.

Romeo and LuLu demonstrate that shelter dogs can excel, not only as loving family members, but as working dogs -- even public servants. Perhaps their story will inspire a new TV series: CSI: San Diego K9?

Fly Away Home

Joey returned last week for his first visit after leaving Encinitas last June to begin his freshman year in the Foreign Service School at Georgetown University. I grabbed my camera and videotaped his reunion with Lucy, curious to see if she remembered him. . .and did she ever! The two grew up together. Lucy was 3 and Joey 9 when he introduced himself to our family -- 10 years ago next month.

Joey posted the reunion video on his YouTube channel this morning after returning to GU and in the background included a song he wrote/recorded back then about our friendship titled, "Mirror Image." To fully appreciate how precious he was as a young child, and devoted to animals, here he is performing to a panel of judges on Star Search in 2003 that included Naomi Judd, Ben Stein, Dweezil Zappa and Donny Osmond. I love this video!

Paralyzed Lulubelle says, "Eat My Dust!"

I love what I do. As a feature writer, I have the opportunity of going out into the community and meeting people who make a difference. That's what happened on Sun., Jan. 30 when I met Dr. Michael Blott, a chiropractor who makes carts, aka wheelchairs, for small shelter dogs in order to improve their chances of avoiding euthanasia and, hopefully, getting adopted by a loving family.

Equally impressive was the dedication of Jenny Armour, founder, Open Arms Rescue who brought Lulubelle to pick up her new cart at Michael's home. A young chihuahua, Lulubelle was paralyzed after being hit by a car. Jenny was so loving and patient in caring for Lulubelle, making sure she was comfortable and that her diaper was clean. She also bought some tiny leather booties for Lulubelle to wear so she wouldn't scrape her knees when she dragged herself around.

I wrote about the transformation in an article in The San Diego Union-Tribune today. You can see Lulubelle before she got her cart, and afterwards when her life changed, on YouTube. What I found most remarkable was that Michael reported that about half the dogs he fits for carts eventually walk again. And 100 percent get homes within 30 days of receiving their cart.

Mike Dougherty Judges Westminster Dog Show

Mike and Michelle Dougherty, owners of the Windsong Resort for Pets in Escondido, had an exciting Valentine's Day in New York City. Mike was there for the Westminster Dog Show in Madison Square Garden where he was a judge.

"It was my fourth invitation to judge there...always an huge honor," he said. "I was pleased to judge a number of Hound breeds: Dachshunds, Basenjis, Norwegian Elkhounds, Otterhounds, and Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen - approximately 90 entries in all."

Click here to watch Mike judging Smooth Dachshunds and Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen.

Meanwhile, Michelle, a gifted artist and Bonsaiist, had her own schedule of events, meeting with literary agents and prospective publishers for her first book, "Bonsai Ten."