‘Everyone loves a dog story’
Sunday, Sept. 20 — Good morning. It’s Cathy Cobbs, managing editor, reporter, and unofficial critter beat writer for Ruff Rough Draft, here with the third edition of our Sunday newsletter.
🌤️ After those intense storms last night, it will be mostly cloudy and warm today, with a high of 88°.
🗞️ The headline is a direct quote from my news editor at the now-defunct Nashville Banner, who, when determining front page stories, sometimes chose a good animal story over a city council clash.
From the beginning of my career, starting with my stint on the Banner’s phone-in obituary desk, catching the animal angle was always top of mind: “I’m sorry to hear of your loss, Mrs. Jones. Was there a particular pet your husband would like to include on the ‘survived-by’ list?”
I like to think of it as a high-interest activity rather than obsession, but other people have their opinions. That being said, let’s continue with the four-legged edition of the Sunday Slowdown.
MY TOP ANIMAL FEEDS, BY THE NUMBERS
- Petey the seeing-eye donkey (382,000 followers) who leads his blind equine friend Luna in and out of her stall each day;
- Aloka the peace dog (1.2 million Facebook followers), a formerly stray canine from India who accompanied the Venerable Monks on their 2,300-mile walk across America from late 2025 to early 2026;
- Big Gay Brian (106,000 followers), an Atlanta restaurant worker who feeds more than 50 community cats around the city, spinning hilarious tales about their personal relationships;
- Eric and Joey (975,000 followers), Chicago-based friends who take ignored shelter dogs out for runs to market their best attributes;
- Any story involving unlikely friendships between dogs and ducks, a rogue sea otter who steals surfboards, memes backed by cool Depeche Mode music, and videos of now-wild animals, like Christian the Lion, meeting up with the people who raised him. For a good cathartic cry, watch the Whitney Houston version of the above.
🕵🏼♂️ In related news: I am trying to get in touch with Big Gay Brian to write a story about him. I need to get inside that incredibly imaginative brain of his. Can you help?
LOCAL HUMAN NEWS, IF WE MUST
⛈️ Severe weather forced the temporary evacuation of thousands of people from the Shaky Knees music festival at Piedmont Park on Saturday night. The annual Beltline Lantern Parade was canceled and will be rescheduled.
🏡 Neighbors Bank announced the top 10 finalists for its inaugural Neighbor of the Year contest, a nationwide search to celebrate the everyday people who make their communities better, and Dunwoody’s Judi Carlson is included.
📝 At least three Georgia counties were listed on an internal memo of jurisdictions across the country that offer election materials in languages other than English, according to internal records from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
🏈 Yesterday’s local college football results (critter edition):
- No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs 45, Arkansas Razorbacks 17
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 44, Mercer Bears 11
- East Tennessee State Buccaneers 35, West Georgia Wolves 27
- Morehouse Maroon Tigers 44, Lane College Dragons 0
- Miles College Golden Bears 27, Clark Atlanta Panthers 14
- Jacksonville State Gamecocks 31, Georgia Southern Eagles 27
- UCF Knights 44, Georgia State Panthers 30
- No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers* 42, Kennesaw State Owls 9
*The Vols’ mascot is Smokey, a Bluetick Coonhound.
🏀 Angel Reese grabbed her 500th rebound of the season last night, a WNBA record, as the Dream beat the Chicago Sky 106-81. Atlanta closes out the regular season with two road games against New York this week.
⚾️ The Braves clinched a playoff berth on Friday with a win over the Astros, and won again last night, 6-3. They will try for the sweep in Houston at 2 p.m. today (93.7 FM; Braves.TV).
🏈 Cooper Rush starts again for the Falcons when they host the Panthers today at 1 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (92.9 FM; FOX).
✡️ Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews, starts tonight at sundown, marking a nearly 26-hour fast devoted to prayer and atonement, ending at nightfall Monday. G’mar chatima tovah.
ELSEWHERE
🇷🇺🇺🇦 Ukraine launched its largest-ever drone attack on Moscow today as Russians finished voting in a parliamentary election President Vladimir Putin framed as a referendum on the war, killing at least four people.
☕ Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
- 911 dogs
- Upcoming animal events
- Can a whale be grateful?
Have a purrfect Sunday,
Cathy
🎻 Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center opens the Schwartz Center Candler Concert Series on October 2 with masterpieces from Amy Beach, Bernard Herrmann, and Aaron Copland. A vibrant journey through American music, from the concert hall to the silver screen. Reserve your seats today! SPONSOR MESSAGE
A tribute to 911 dogs
🐾 Twenty-five years ago, within hours after the attacks of Sept. 11, thousands of rescue workers from across America were deployed to Ground Zero to help in the search and rescue efforts.
According to the 911 Memorial & Museum website, more than 300 dogs took part in the search, rescue, and recovery efforts, including dogs certified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that specialize in disaster response skills.
“Trained to search and detect living human scent, their mission was to find survivors buried in the rubble,” the article said. “The last living person rescued from ground zero 27 hours after the collapse was found by one of these search and rescue dogs.”
🤧 Working alongside their handlers, the canine heroes labored tirelessly, climbing huge piles of debris while fires still smoldered. Get your tissue box and read the story here.
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Dip your toe into animal experiences
🦙 Feel like experiencing an easy yoga class with an emotional support llama? Try the Alpaca Tree House yoga class and tour in East Atlanta, featuring Figgy (pictured above), an empathetic beast who will stare into your soul while you do simple, slow poses aimed at not upsetting anyone.
🛒 Here’s a one-stop shopping opportunity for those in the market for a very good dog. LifeLine Animal Project is planning a large-scale effort to find new homes for its dogs with its second Super Adopt-A-Thon on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Union Hill Park, 1590 Little Pine Trail in Alpharetta.
On that day, the organization will transport 125 dogs – already spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and ready for adoption that day. Adoption fees for this event will be waived. Can you imagine the conversation: “I like this one, but do you have it in a smaller size?”
RELATED: For a more intimate encounter, consider LifeLine’s “Meant to Meet” initiative.
🤡 On Oct. 17, if your dog doesn’t mind being humiliated, consider the Sandy Springs Paws and Pastries event, where you can demonstrate your
anthropomorphism by dressing up your canine in a costume for a chance to be ridiculed and win a prize.
🪧 Create Dunwoody has an opportunity for owners to memorialize their pets by buying a plaque that will become part of a tribute sculpture at Ashford Lane’s green space.
❤️ Therapy that helps you feel seen, supported, and understood—while building practical skills to navigate life with confidence at Intown Psychology. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Can a whale say, ‘thanks, man’?
🐳 “When we gaze into the eyes of a wild animal, or even a beloved pet, can we ever really know what they might be thinking?”
This is the premise of one of my all-time favorite Radiolab podcasts, entitled “Animal Minds.” It tells the tale of a 50-ton humpback whale entangled in crab nets in open water about 18 miles outside the Golden Gate Bridge, and its rescuers’ frantic efforts to free it from its man-made prison.
What happens after the rescue is astonishing, as the newly emancipated mammal refuses to leave the group until it acknowledges each of its heroes.
The podcast also explores whether or not dogs feel guilt, and speculates about a predator who may have fallen in love with a photographer.
