Banjo makes beautiful music

Alison Preston of San Luis Obispo sent me this very sweet story about how their dog, Banjo, became a part of the family.

“For Mother’s Day this year, my seven-year-old daughter, Anastasia, wanted to get me a very special present, and she wanted to spend her own money on it. She would hear nothing of getting something ordinary since it wasn’t special enough, so she decided that she wanted to get me a pet. We discussed various pets -— a bird, a mouse, a cat, and so on. Finally she settled on a dog as the best choice.

“We had agreed that the family would eventually get a dog once Anastasia and her younger sister, Isabelle, were old enough to care for a pet on their own. However, this time persistence paid off.

“With only a few days left before Mother’s Day, Anastasia set to work researching different breeds of dogs to match her criteria. It had to be smart, kind, playful and good with children, so she settled upon a border collie. She then called Woods Humane Society on her own to ask if they had one, and they assured her that they did.

“We went down right away and met Banjo, a six-month-old border collie who perfectly met her criteria. It was love at first sight! Anastasia paid for him with her own money — mostly quarters, dimes, and a few dollar bills, and brought him home.

“Banjo is a delightful dog who is just as smart, playful and affectionate as we had hoped. He howls ‘I love you,’ ‘sings,’ and has become our inseparable companion. He is all the more special because of Anastasia’s determination in getting such a very special present and arranging his adoption all on her own.”

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The Pouring Wines for Canines and Felines fundraiser will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ron’s Nursery in Grover Beach.

The event will include wine tasting, music, food, raffle and silent auction. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Feline Network, Befriended Felines and the North County Humane Society. Three wine pours for $10 donation; raffle tickets are $2 per ticket, or $10 for six. Ron’s Nursery is at 1207 S. 13th St. For more information, call 489-4747 or visit www.tlc4animals.com.

If you have a story and/or photo of your animal companions please e-mail to pettales@thetribunenews.com or mail to Pet Tales, c/o The Tribune, P.O. box 112, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406.