Lynchburg Living

Editor's Letter

By Johanna Calfee

Her nickname is “Shadow,” because from the day we brought Penny home from the small farm on which she was born in South Boston, Virginia, our chocolate Labrador Retriever has followed us everywhere we’ve gone. Around the house. Making supper. Raking leaves. Shoveling snow. At each and every point, Penny has been there–stuck to us like glue.

From the start, her maternal instincts were strong. As a puppy, the sound of children playing down the street was enough to send her into a tizzy. She has always adored little kids and babies, so we weren’t the least bit worried when we brought our first child home last year. Since then, Penny and our daughter, Ella, have been “besties.” I often catch Penny sleeping beside her crib, overseeing her playtime and generally being her shadow … even more than she is ours. And considering that Ella’s third word was “dog” (after “dada” and “mama,” respectively), I guess you could say for both, it was love at first sight.

Animals have a way of nudging themselves into our heart. Each pet owner out there has a thousand little stories about the animals that have endeared them, from their first childhood pet to their current one. That’s what much of this Lynchburg Living is all about–our very first animal devoted issue. From some of the pet-friendliest places in Lynchburg to where you can exercise both your pet and yourself and more, we hope you enjoy learning more about what’s available in our area for you and your favorite four-legged friend to enjoy.

For all the love and joy they bring us, the least we can do is indulge our pets’ desire to play and tag along with us throughout our daily lives. Even if that means that we all have more than one shadow during these “dog days” of summer.

From One Animal Lover to the Next,

Johanna Calfee