Joe somehow roped my husband into the kittens softball thing and one day after practice he invited us to see his office at the SFSPCA and to tour the beautiful campus. We ended up in some corner of the building where the saddest cases of animal neglect were being treated, and a dog the volunteers had named "Sweetheart" was being held. She was a bull mastiff and had a tumor, broken jaw, untreated eye infections and more. I don't think it was a coincidence that Joe took us down there to see her. He said she was looking for "fospice" (foster/hospice) and only had months to live. As we drove home (not even across the Bay Bridge) my husband said, "call Joe. I want her." A volunteer paid for her surgeries and we took her home to make her comfortable (we renamed her "Lucky" and she lived for 4 and half more years. Joe successfully tricked another friend/family into adopting a dog and changing their lives (and the dogs') forever.
I miss you Joe, but I don't miss seeing you share a spoon of peanut butter with all the dogs...that is still gross to think about.
Love to all those who were touched by Joe (and tricked into a rescue).
❤ Vanessa (Kaleda's sister)