Bear’s-Eye View of Alameda for May 5, 2024
In my March 10th B-EV report, I mentioned that K9 Veterans Day was coming up on the 13th and that I couldn’t fit a visit to the Napa Valley Museum into my schedule to see their special exhibit called Warrior Dogs: Honoring the Service & Sacrifice of America’s Four-Legged Fighters. However, I did promise to send my human companion on a special assignment to cover this important exhibit, and last week he made the trip to Yountville.
He highly recommends making the 50-minute drive up to the museum to learn more about the role canines play in not only combat situations, but also in search & rescue, drug and explosive detection, combating loneliness and depression, and—in my situation—overall health by getting my human companion off his butt to get some exercise. He can thank me for his semi-normal blood pressure, and low levels of triglycerides and cholesterol, especially at his age. We don’t talk about the “Great Squirrel Incident” that resulted in his torn meniscus. But I digress.
What makes this exhibition different from other memorials is the inclusion of wood sculptures by acclaimed artist James Mellick. Each sculpture is accompanied by a plaque describing the canine that inspired the piece and their story. His attention to detail in the carving and use of color makes these creations so lifelike, my human companion said it made him feel like he was actually connecting with each hero.
There is also a bronze sculpture of a Special Operations Force Dog by Lena Toritch depicting a life-size Belgian Malinois wearing his full deployment kit. The monument is a symbol of respect and mourning for all Special Operations Forces dogs who have died in the line of duty.
My human companion said he was moved by every display and panel and experienced both great joy and extreme sadness as he walked through the exhibit. I asked him if he would put together a short video to share his experience with our readers.
One of the saddest displays was a small, framed plaque provided by AmericasForgottenHeroes.org which read: “In memory of the over 4,000 U.S. War Dogs that served in Vietnam. When the war was over and our service members came home, these loyal dogs were left behind.”
Fortunately, this type of situation will never happen again thanks to Robby’s Law and a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act, which requires transportation of all eligible retired military working dogs back to the United States.
I am so grateful to all the canines that have served our country in so many ways and honored to be a representative of a breed that is recognized for versatility, intelligence, trainability, and loyalty.
If you are interested in seeing the exhibit, here is a link to the Napa Valley Museum https://napavalleymuseum.org/ for more information. My human companion recommends that you have lunch at Brix Restaurant on St. Helena Highway afterwards. He (aspiring vegan that he is trying to be) said the wood-grilled artichoke, crispy kohlrabi fritters, roasted cauliflower, and seasonally fresh fruit sorbets were winners.
Honoring canines everywhere,
Mouf, Roving Reporter
Bear’s-Eye View of Alameda
Mouf and his human companion can be reached via [email protected]. Their stories are collected at AlamedaPost.com/Jeff-Cambra/. All photos by Jeff Cambra unless otherwise indicated.
