Pet of the Month: January ’10 | The Beachside Resident

Words and photos by Kate Flack

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PET OF THE MONTH : Maggie

When Aaron Netterstrom was in Kindergarten, he — like all his classmates — had the opportunity to take Stanley home for a day. Stanley was the “take-home” bear. A much anticipated privilege held by one 5- or 6-year-old at a time, tales of Stanley’s adventures retold by his hosts and hostesses would put any traveling garden gnome’s to shame.

Aaron was a good host — a great host in fact — and took Stanley to the beach, hosted him at dinner, and played games with him. Then, suddenly, Stanley disappeared.

WHERE DID STANLEY GO?!

The search party began and lasted a full six hours before a single clue was found: an arrangement of sticks resembling that of a bird’s nest atop a mound of fresh dirt in the yard. Sure enough, Stanley the take-home bear had been buried and his grave marked. Now who would do such a thing? The dirt on the nose of the family pet, Maggie, was as much a dead giveaway then as it would be in years to come. In those years to come, over 13 stuffed animals were found on the property!

Maggie, a 10-year-old Saint Bernard, was “dropped off” many years ago at a Cracker Barrel restaurant at the age of just two or three. A breed-specific rescue was alerted and took her in. Lucky for Maggie, there are kind-hearted families like the Netterstrom’s who seek rescues for their family pets.

Having been a family member for nearly 7 years, Maggie has been a great loyal friend to Aaron, now 8, and Seth, 10, from the very beginning. Whether it was pulling them in their wagon or playing in the snow up north, her maternal instincts to nurture were evident from the beginning. They have also come to surface with various puppies, rabbits and cats who have lived under the Netterstrom’s roofs. She loves snuggling with Marbles, the household kitty, and playing with Jenny, the resident Golden Retriever. (Yes, all the animals are rescues!)

Maggie is super friendly with the neighbors and can be seen in the front window daily anticipating their morning walks. In her deep, husky “voice,” she never fails to wish them all a Good Morning. This is definitely one dog whose bark is louder than her bite.

Seth tells it best: “Maggie likes to bark at everything, but is the best dog in the world!”