I met Juli at the Bread & Life Soup Kitchen in 1996. We made friends and she greeted me everyday on my way to work. One day I found her sick and decided to take her home. She had a full recovery, but the transition from street dog to apartment life was slow--often Juli would simply take the elevator out to walk herself. No "come here" with doggie treats. She'd just look as if to say, "That's all right, I'll just eat this here squirrel here." Eventually she domesticated and was greatly loved by all the neighbors. And what wasn't to love? Intelligent, alert, kind and affectionate, and a mean ball player--she loved ball more than any other thing. Was good at it too. Got to the point you coldn't fake her out--she looked up down and sideways and ran, ran with the love of it, for her ball. Of all the dogs--and there are some fine ones out there- she was the best. Simply the best.
