Layla crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 4 May 2024 but her sister Nili will carry on her legacy speaking out against Animal Abuse, Domestic Violence, Breeders and how to keep your pet healthy, happy and living a good life.
Happy Gotcha Day Layla
Dear Layla,
I am writing this letter to you over the Rainbow Bridge as it is your Gotcha Day and I will celebrate it like I do each year but with sadness also as you are not with me only in my heart and I cannot hug and kiss you the way I would love to do.
I miss you barking at me each time I said we were going bye bye, tail wagging so excited and happy.
I am so proud to have been your Mom, and was so blessed to have spent so many years with you, growing old with you and enjoying our adventures and fun together.
I am once again going to share your Gotcha Story here so that others will realize rescuing is so worth it and that is why I speak out for rescues, as like you, they all need a home with a warm bed to sleep on.
I remember when your sister passed away, I waited about 6 weeks and then decided my home was too empty without the pitter patter of paws, so the search was on. I ran around to all the shelters in the city but could not find a little fluffy at the time, which is what I wanted.
So Uncle Michael introduced me to Aunt Cindy by email, told me that he would be in LA for a week so I had a week to search online for a new fur kid and he would bring her home to me.
I sat 24/7 on Petharbor and Petfinder and was nearly giving up when I saw you sitting in a cage in the Carson Shelter. The look on your face said to me take me home. I immediately emailed Aunt Cindy with your information and photo and she went to the Shelter on Saturday to fetch you for me. I remember her calling me from there telling me she had a smelly matted mess kissing her, that sealed the deal.
You arrived on Sunday evening, the 31st of January 2011, I had got the house ready for you, bought you a new pink bed and was so excited. Yes, you were smelly and dirty but I did not care as for me what was important was you were finally home, safe and sound with a nice warm bed.
Your dumping papers said you had been an outdoor dog; you bit when groomed and in a nutshell everything negative a person can say and OH What A Lie. You were the opposite. I am ashamed to even say what your name was in the shelter.
I waited a couple of days and then met a friend of mine, a vet, Dr. Phil in the dog park, he looked at you, checked you and said I had won, and he was so right.
I was so lucky to celebrate your last Gotcha Day with a big party, pink bacon cake, lots of treats and all your friends, it is a special memory that I think of all the time.
You passed away on 4 May 2024 at the age of 18+ and you are not suffering anymore, missed every day and I have saved and will not let Nili play with your pink poodle which was your first toy you got from me.
Happy Gotcha Day my little angel, I hope you have a wonderful time over the Rainbow Bridge today,
Big hugs, kisses and love from Mommy and Nili xxx
January is my month of freedom
TGIF !! Sun is out but it is still cold here.
Many of you do not know but January is the month of freedom for me, it is the month I ran from my ex, and it is the month I rescued Layla so it was her month of freedom also.
So, to celebrate our freedom, and the sun shining today,, so to celebrate I took Nili on an adventure on Tuesday with a picnic for me. It was a wonderful time and something I really needed.
I am hoping it wont be raining this coming week so I can take Nili somewhere else and get lots of fresh air which is so important for both of us. I also notice that if she is out and about in new places she is tired when we get home which makes my life easier.
Nili also wants to share she got a haircut this past week so she is looking clean and cute with short hair plus I can see her eyes LOL.
Do I look cute, Nili
So that was our adventure this week, plus we have lots of park time, plus last weekend she had a sleepover with Leon so who knows what we will do next week but there is never a dull moment here with the energizer bunny.
Please everyone stay warm and safe and make sure your pets are inside
With a woof and love from
Nil
I am enjoying life, Nili
TGIF!!!!!!!!! Good morning, Fur friends, we hope you are all safe and staying warm.
It is one year since I started going to the dog park; we have been going daily as the sun was out and it was really warm and I am playing off leash, chasing my dog friends and Mom is really proud of my progress but she is not happy with me eating the mud, but it is yum BOL.
We go to the park at least twice a day when the sun is out, at times when Mom knows my friends are there, I run like crazy into the park and of course search for any treats that might have fallen the day before, and then playtime. If there is no one there that I like I just lie in the sun and enjoy the fresh air. Mom has tried taking toys with her, but I am not interested BOL.
Playing with Sparky, Nili
Oy and I must not forget Mom took me on my first adventure this week to another park, it is a beautiful park, one Mom fell in love with, and I ran and ran and ran up and down the hills in the park, so much fun and new smells of course. Mom said to her friend they should have taken coffee so we going to do it next week again weather permitting.
Running in Jefferson park, Nili
So that has been our week, busy as always, Mom leaving me alone when she runs errands which I don’t like but love the treats when she gets home BOL as there is a price to pay for leaving me here. I am also learning to ride in my pet carrier which is built under Mom’s shopping cart so will be starting to go on the errands with her soon and as Mom says I will not be able to eat off the streets which shhhh I still do.
Testing out my carrier under the shopping cart, this is fun
Our life is busy, but happy and I am one lucky rescued dog living the best life now and pray others have the same luck as me.
Have a wonderful long weekend.
With love and licks
Nili
January 2026 Pet Holidays and Observances
Month
- National Train Your Dog Month
- Unchain a Dog Month.
- Walk Your Dog Month
One Day
- 2: National Pet Travel Safety Day
- 2: Happy Mew Year for Cats Day.
- 14: National Dress Up Your Pet Day
- 19: National Conservation Dog Day.
- 22: National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day.
- 24: Change a Pet’s Life Day.
- 24: Peanut Butter Day. !
- 29: Seeing Eye Guide Dog Anniversary
- 29: Tuxedo Cat Appreciation Day.
- 31: Layla’s Gotcha Day
i am carrying on my sisters tradition of checking the pmail on the Christmas Trees in the street, Nili
We hope you have a warm safe January with hug and woof from Nili
New Years is around the corner
What a week, I need a break from all. Last Saturday we were without power for over 12 hours and trying to keep a pup busy in the dark is not easy, I was exhausted by the time the power came back on, then the storms this week have been a nightmare and Nili has not been settling down at night because of the heavy rain and winds, Tuesday was really bad. I tried to go to the park when the rain stopped but each time we got there it started all over again so we have been cooped up inside most of the time. My energizer bunny is overloaded with energy, and I am exhausted from doing short walks with her to burn off the energy. She is playing with her toy, or should I say killing the squeakers, but she needs more stimulation than that. I live in a studio so there is not that much place for her to run so when possible I open the door and let her run and chase her toys in the hallway. It is a locked building so she cannot get out into the street phew.
Sleeping like a baby after a CBS treat
New Years Eve is around the corner. The pet’s nightmare as I call it as so many are afraid of the stupid fireworks and that means pets getting lost.
I have made sure Nilis’ microchip and tags are all updated with emergency numbers, so we are prepared for the nightmare plus stocked up on CBD treats to keep her calm. I wish they had it for me also LOL. I got CBD treats, chewable from https://treatibles.com/ a company I had used with Layla and they are really keeping her calm plus she thinks she is getting a treat LOL and has made her stormy nights calmer and she is sleeping well plus she has also become afraid to go out all of a sudden, she sees the harness and hides, so giving her a half in the morning relaxes her and has made it easier to get her out of the house, once out she is fine.
This has totally confused me and I am working on this issue, am always open to ideas and input if you have some for me.
New Years Eve, one of the nights I hate when everyone gets drunk and sets off fireworks everywhere that it is scary. My heart goes out to all the animals that are in shelters shivering already from fear, and then have to endure the fear of fireworks with no one around to comfort them. I wish we could just empty those shelters and all animals would have loving homes.
How do you keep your pet safe during fireworks? This is my second New Year with Nili and hopefully she will be ok, I do not go out so I will be with her the whole night.
Unfortunately, we always must remind everyone of safety tips for their pets:
And most of all everyone please remember this when out partying:
So, on this note we want to wish everyone a Happy New Year, may 2026 be a good year for all of us with lots of love, laughter, health and happiness and most of all Peace on Earth.
Woof with love from
Nili
Christmas has arrived
It is a week before Christmas and I have been watching cars go by with trees on their roofs, people carrying them, on bicycles and it is such a great feeling to see some happiness in the city the past weeks with all the gloom around.
The first is a very special memory where in the dog park I would go to with Baby and they every year dressed up a tree and hung photos of all the dogs in the dog park which was so much fun, as the lights would sparkle with all the photos and we would stand around, drink something and celebrate. That is my memory of Baby at Christmas.
Another memory is the Santathon which they have every year in San Francisco when everyone dresses up as Santas, the town goes red LOL and you see many drunk Santas pub crawling and having fun. It is also very special as one of the pubs does a toy drive for those that need toys.
This I did with Layla every year, The other event is the Skivvie run which is a fundraiser for the AIDS Foundation where in the Castro Area everyone runs in skivvies and have fun, it is a great event and wonderful fundraiser. Layla and I always went to support this event.
As Nili is still learning and big crowds would be a nightmare for her and me I decided to skip them this year but I did take her to the Christmas party I was invited to, I put her in my shopping cart which is big and comfy so she would not wander around and cause havoc, she was happy but I think got bored towards the end and when we got home she fell asleep LOL after a good walk to burn off energy.
This is what I did to keep her busy BOL
I do not do much for Christmas as I celebrate Hanukkah but watching people in the streets with Christmas hats on, the happiness in the air warms my heart as life is so short and we must enjoy every moment and make lots of memories.
As always, I remind everyone to keep their pets safe around the holidays, as I always say rather be safe than sorry.
Merry Christmas Everyone, may you have a wonderful one with your family. With woof and love from Nili and Me
Hanukkah has arrived
Hi Friends, we hope you staying warm as it has been crazy cold here brr, the coldest in over 100 years. Our week has been crazy this week so this weekend Mom has decided we are having a slow weekend but might do the Santacon.
Wearing my new jacket before going out last night, it was cold brr, Nili
On Sunday Chanukkah starts, it is celebrated for eight days where we light a candle every night. Do you know the story of Chanukkah? I am sharing it for those that do not know it so you will understand why it is celebrated for eight days and what we eat.
Hanukkah is celebrated to commemorate the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt against Greek-Syrian rule, focusing on the miracle of a single day’s worth of oil burning for eight days, which symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, religious freedom, and Jewish perseverance. It’s known as the Festival of Lights, marked by lighting a Hanukkiah for eight days, eating oily foods like latkes, sufganiot (jelly doughnuts) playing the dreidel (spinning top) and giving gifts. Children get Hanukkah Geld which is chocolate coins.
Below is a recipe for latkes for dogs so that they can share in the festivity also plus it is a healthy treat and Layla loved them and am going to make them for Nili this weekend so she can enjoy them also.
Safety tips for Hanukkah
I went to a Chanukkah party last weekend, got from friends a Ross Gift card, so on Monday I went shopping for myself and came home LOL with new clothes for Nili so she has enough now for the cold winter and Mom got nothing. She also got a bag of treats, a pink squeaky lambchop toy so she is all set now.
My new clothes and toy, I am a lucky girl, Nili
Happy Chanukkah to all our friends that celebrate, enjoy the holiday and see you next week on the blog
With a woof and love from Nili and Mom
I am wearing my bandana which says Happy Hanukkah, Nili
December 2025 Pet Holidays and Observances
Nili and Sparky playing tug of war in the park
Month
- National Cat Lover’s Month.
One-Day Events
- 1: National Twin With Your Dog Day
- 2: National Mutt Day.Also see July 31.
- 4: Celebrate Shelter Pets Day
- 9: International Day of Veterinary Medicine.
- 10: International Animal Rights Day.
- 11: Holiday Food Drive For the Needy Animals Day
- 15: National Cat Herders Day.
Please stay warm, safe and Happy Hanukkah to those that celebrate and Merry Christmas to everyone else
With a woof and love from Nili
Thank you
Dear friends, followers, and fans,
Thanksgiving is around the corner and as my sister did in the past, it is a time to say thank you letter, so I am barking out my orders to Mom as to what to write and share, and because Mom is getting old so not to forget anyone.
I want to thank all my friends who I meet up with in the park, my uncles who give me treats when Mom does not want to and so many more people in my life. My followers on social media you are the best and keep Mom amused but most of all sharing my life with you makes life so much more fun and interesting.
A very big thank you to PAWS (Pets are wonderful support) and the Shanti project for helping Mom when needed and keeping her busy and happy but most of all I am included in it all which adds a lot of extra fun into my life plus I am with Mom.
I also want to thank some of the suppliers that produce the supplements that help me stay healthy and I am blessed that Mom found you and gives all to me as I am growing up to be a healthy girl.
- Vetericyn : Your All In Supplement is amazing, your ear cleanser keeps my ears clean all the time which means I get no Infections. Also, when I have an itch your skin products fix it immediately.
- Real Mushrooms: and yes, they are real. They are the best, Their relaxing mushroom supplement keeps me calm, their immune system supplements keep me healthy and I am very blessed that Mom makes sure I get them all.
https://shop.realmushrooms.com/?ref=488 – Coupon 10% off with LaylasWoof
- Peanuts, thank you for your fantastic carrier that I arrived home to Mom with and is fantastic for emergencies also. Mom loves your products and service and we are so grateful for all.
- Coco Therapy that have healthy fantastic treats for both cats and dogs and must have, I love them and I get so excited when I see the bag come out
- YumWoof which is the yummiest best air dried food in the world, Mom uses their products for my home made treats also so I am eating a balanced healthy diet all the time and cannot get enough of all.
https://yumwoof.com/?ref=nbmzrsze You have a 5% coupon with YUMNILI
And last but not least the best toy in the world which keeps me so busy and my favorite amongst all that I have – it keeps me very busy plus it cleans my teeth at the same time as I am chomping on the treats
https://shopyomp.com/collections/all?platform=grin&link_id=1782778&token=JjkBK6hlw2hexUsKSfehrmSXqdKTOgBq&contact_id=da921bab-143b-4d60-9190-357718a3f8ff&attribution_window=60 Coupon Code 15% off with LAYLASWOOF
Phew I am exhausted with all this barking and now going to chew a bone but please keep us safe on Thanksgiving with the list below which are not good for us and of course do not drink and drive as we are waiting at home for you.
Happy Thanksgiving Gobble Gobble, be safe,
With love from Nili
Keeping Nili busy when it rains
Woof good morning, Winter has arrived or should I say the rain grrr which means less time in the park especially as daylight savings are not helping either as it gets darker earlier. That means less playtime for me, so Mom is trying to figure out how to keep me quiet and busy during the day.
Layla used to sleep most of the day or chew on bones but hated the rain so we hardly went out but Nili is like an energizer bunny wanting to go nonstop, oy vey.
You see friends, I bark at Mom for attention when she starts working and that makes her mad as she loves peace and quiet BOL but I need to remind her that I am here and need attention. That makes her stop working and play with me till I get bored with that. My favorite thing is making head bumps against Moms’ legs for attention also and I have tripped her once or twice but thank goodness she did not have her coffee mug in her hand although kadoof she fell on the carpet and phew did not hurt herself. I have an old Mom, and I forget and think that everything I do is funny not thinking of the consequences.
So how Mom is trying to deal with my indoor boredom and need any ideas that you have. I love my Kong which Mom stuffs with carrots which keeps me busy, I have killed most of the squeakers in my toys and Mom refused to buy anymore, the toy pile is growing BOL, I love my YOMP ball which you can fill with yoghurt, or any other spreadable food which cleans my teeth at the same time (You can see them on my affiliate page plus you have a coupon there.
https://laylaswoof.com/?page_id=19
Another thing which is the best of the best is bones which I love. Mom goes to the butcher and buys beef neck bones 2 inch thick, half boils them to get the blood out so the house stays clean, cools it off and yummm I can chew for hours on them. My favorite morning ritual now is to grab my bone towel and walk around the house with it in my house hinting to Mom that it is bone time. She is miserly BOL and only gives me one a day. They also keep my teeth pearly white so there is a method to her madness.
I am going for walks, wearing my raincoat, I do not like the rain but potty breaks with exercise is very important and Mom does not give in to me when I sit and refuse to walk, she wins on this one as she knows I am desperate to potty so will walk and do it once we get going. I do not like pee pads and have chewed them to pieces so it is not worth putting them on the floor. Plus walking for Mom is really good also so off we go.
I need to smell along the way
So that is what is happening in the Nili Neighborhood, trying to keep busy, napping more and of course snuggling under the covers at nights.
Be warm, safe, make lots of memories, have a wonderful week,
Nili