Star

Australian Shepherd

Probably the last thing we needed was another dog. Wildworks already had three. You all know Hopi, our older Australian shepherd who has worked for Wildworks for over 15 years performing in programs and mothering foxes and bobcats. Then there’s Macfly, an 8-year-old blind and curly-coated border collie who likes to herd coyotes. Number three is our smallest and cutest, a Papillion mix named Patty--aka “the cat that barks”.

So acquiring another canine was not at the top of my list. Then it happened.

On July 1, 2013 Second Chance Rescue in San Diego emailed me a photo and something happened when I saw it. Some might call it “chemistry” but it was like an invisible force drew me in. Enter a petite, chocolate and white little girl Aussie/border collie whose owner had just been killed in a car crash.

On July 3rd I drove down to see her thinking, as I suffered through the major holiday traffic, “Why am I doing this?” Then the house was hard to find. The traffic nightmare and the general stupidness of it all had me just about ready to scream when I looked ahead and caught a glimpse of her. As she bounded out the door behind her foster human, I jumped out of the car and announced “That’s my dog!” and that was that.

At Wildworks she was a bit scared a first, and understandably. But when she stepped into the house and both house cats walked right up to her, rubbing affectionately on her face, I knew it wouldn’t take long. Now she loves playing with the foxes and is especially bonded to my horse, Knight, who grooms her with his teeth.

As she has grown, she is still a puppy in some ways. When I’m in the shower she sneaks into the bathroom and steals my clothes for her bedding. Good girl!

As I got to know her I christened her “Star” for obvious reasons. Now the “Star of the Show” this smart and talented dog is performing routinely in our outreach educational programs.

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