USA : Sunday, 6 February 2011 (Local Time)
The French have a term, "belle laide" or "jolie-laide," which mean "ugly-beautiful."
It is used to refer to a woman who, not beautiful in the conventional sense, nonetheless manages to be striking. The concept of "ugly-beautiful" also can refer to the way something slightly grotesque can appear far more beautiful and exotic than boring perfection.
Take for example, the pug. The breed of dog has a squished face, causing it to snort and giving it a tendency to snore. Pugs have buggy eyes, meaty bulldog bodies and curled tongues, and have a tendency to slobber. Yet, pugs still manage to come off as absolutely adorable.
Those who have come to know the concept of jolie-laide firsthand can support homeless and unwanted pugs by attending the Colorado Pug Rescue`s Doggy Spa Fundraiser next weekend.
The first love of Amy Voltin, an animal control officer in Broomfield, was a pug named Otis she met at the local dog kennel. She is now the proud owner of two pugs.
She became a foster home for wayward pugs when she moved from Seattle to Colorado in 2000.
"All animal control officers are animal lovers," she said, adding she has a particular soft spot for special-needs pugs, such as Yoda and Hercules, who are both blind, one from diabetes and the other from a mauling by another dog. She provides a foster home for both.
Another pug in need is Dozer, who suffered a spinal injury when a large man fell on the table under which Dozer was dozing, leaving the dog partially paralyzed. The cart he uses to get around doesn`t fit and tends to tip backward. The rescue would like to get him a new cart to help him get around, and exercise his hind legs.
Voltin organized the Doggy Spa Fundraiser to help raise money for Dozer`s cart and other efforts of the rescue group, and rounded up the sponsors. She recruited Dirty Dog Grooming and Pet Boutique to provide the supplies, so all of the money raised from they day of shampooing, nail trimming and microchipping will go to Colorado Pug Rescue. There also will be refreshments, a silent auction and some pugs available for adoption. Any dog owner is welcome to have their dog shampooed, but pug owners get the additional option of a skin fold cleaning.
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The Colorado Pug Rescue was formed in 1995 by a Denver-area pug club.
Joan Powers, a board member of Colorado Pug Rescue, said breed-specific shelters are not uncommon, particularly when they are born from a club with a particular interest, but there also are practical reasons for such a narrow focus.
"If people are looking for particular breed, they have a place to go to find that particular dog," she said.
Also, "the personalities and health concerns are very similar."
Pugs tend to have issues with floating kneecaps, as well as vision problems because of their buggy eyes. A pug rescue can specialize in addressing those conditions, she said.
The rescue has no central facility, and instead relies on 150 volunteers in the greater Denver area, 40 of whom are foster parents. They take dogs from local shelters, puppy mills or people who can no longer keep their pets.
Voltin admitted dogs with particular handicaps are a little more difficult to place, but said Yoda and Hercules are remarkably high-performing, except for a tendency to "run into walls."
Pugs are "great little buddies," Voltin said. "They`re always in a good mood, follow you around and love to snuggle."
Story and Foto from : www.brommfieldenterprise.com (reported by Dylan Otto Krider)
