Call Carol Becker the animal communicator, the doggy reader or even the pet psychic. She is more concerned with what animals are saying than the names people come up with, which aren”t always so complimentary.
The Fort Bragg woman provided “pet readings” for $5 at her booth among a full day of animal festivities on Saturday on Todd Point at an event sponsored by the Mendocino Coast Humane Society.
Over 50 dogs, plus some horses, pigs, sheep, rabbits, ducks, geese and chickens starred at the Second Annual Animal Celebration. More than twice as many humans accompanied them. There were obedience and training demonstrations from Julie Apostolu”s canine good citizen class, hospital therapy dogs and information on the new Mendocino Dog Park.
Crissy Tadlock, a graduate of the Canine Good Citizen Class with her deaf pit bull mix Echo, used sign language to facilitate Echo”s disc catching prowess.
There was a doggy toe nail cutting booth and the Eileen Hawthorne Fund, which helps provide low cost spay and neuter services.
“We”re doing this today to highlight groups here on the Coast that benefit the animals,” said Sharon Felkins, director of the Humane Society”s Summers Lane animal facility and thrift shop, The Ark, at Highway 20 and Simpson Lane.
The Ark is losing parking during the construction of the roundabout now under way, but remains open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., she said. The shelter, which currently has 54 dogs in 24 kennels, is open daily from noon to 5 p.m.
The Humane Society recently acquired some additional land and needs funds to expand.
“We are in dire need of more dog kennels, as we are the only place on the Coast, with the closure of the county facility (next door),” said Felkins.
Booths offered food, thrift shop wares and lots of doggy treats.
Several people eyed Becker”s booth a few times before taking the plunge with the pet psychic. After having done so, they each spent 10 to 15 minutes with Becker, engaging in animated conversation, with quite a bit of nodding.
Korie Shokmalli, of Monte Rio, brought her newly-adopted rescue dog Rowan, a Chihuahua mix, along with her longtime dog Bella. The first thing she noticed was Becker”s confident and gentle energy with dogs and how the pair relaxed while Becker performed the reading.
“I really enjoyed the reading ?. she was right on,” said Shokmalli.
Becker helped Shokmalli straighten out a situation between Rowan and a male cat in her house.
“She said, It”s a male thing,” Shokmalli said.”
Becker told Shokmalli that she had Rowan for just a week, but it was actually two days.
“But I saw him first a week ago, so actually she was right,” said Shokmalli. “I wish I could have given her more than $5 but that was all she would take.”
Becker has been doing animal communication for nearly 20 years. She started when she lived in Southern California and a sick dog communicated with her about what was ailing it.
She then took classes from others and has been bridging the communication divide between pets and owners ever since.
She says the feeling she gets is like being under a waterfall, where the pets” feelings flow over her.
Becker is obviously a keen observer of breed and temperament, but also has a way of finding fascinating tidbits too. She told this reporter how much attention and training my extremely energetic Belgian shepherd-mix rescue dog, Reynard, needs, which could easily be simple observation.
She also mentioned serious trouble he is getting into outside, where Reynard has gotten very sick eating things he shouldn”t.
Apostolu said good citizen training, which is done in a positive manner, without no”s or threats, can bring a kind of healing to a family.
“A lot of time we find the problem is the dog is getting confused with who is in charge at home. We can help straighten that out in class,” she said.
Many humans and dogs were impressed with the farm animals and horseback riding that made Saturday”s event into a two-ring circus.
Particularly popular were baby piglets, which Carol Carrier, 10, said were a 4-H project. The piglets were mixed with ducklings and goslings inside a small fence, where Carrier also reclined, answering questions and getting photographed.
Email Frank Hartzell at frankhartzell@gmail.com.
