Residents with Noodle, visitor from Muttville; photos by Linda Maniwa
By Tova Green
On Thursday, October 13, City Center residents had an opportunity to spend time with a Senior Rescue Dog from Muttville in the garden in front of 310 Page Street. The dog, named Noodle, is a fifteen-year-old poodle terrier who had come to Muttville from the Fresno Animal Shelter, where she landed after her guardian died. Muttville’s mission is to change the way the world thinks about and treats older dogs and to create better lives for them through rescue, foster, and adoption.
Linda Maniwa; photo by Tova Green
Accompanied by Linda Maniwa, Noodle visited during the lunch hour, and many residents had the pleasure of holding her on their laps. Linda is participating in Stanford’s year-long Applied Compassion Training Program (ACT). As part of the program, she developed a community project to bring more compassion into the world, representing the intersection of her interest in animal welfare, embodied Buddhist compassion practice, and aging issues.
Earlier this year, Linda asked Muttville Senior Dog Rescue to partner with her. Her plan was to take a Muttville senior/rescue goodwill ambassador dog to visit local groups where there are some adults over fifty years of age, and wanted to include City Center, as she had attended several programs there called “Good Old Zen: The Practice of Aging and the Aging of Practice.” SFZC is also an organization that is addressing aging issues for residents through partnering with Kendal Corporation to develop the Enso Village senior living community.
During the hour of Linda’s visit with Noodle, many residents stopped by and were captivated by the gentle, cuddly elder dog. Everyone was smiling. One resident commented later that he had had a stressful morning and while holding Noodle he could feel his body relax and his heartbeat slow down. After the Muttville visit, Linda said, “I think Noodle is generating lots of good karma and planting many seeds of compassion, so she is off to a great beginning toward finding her forever home.”
Below: Residents with Noodle (Photos by Linda Maniwa)
