You know how they say people and their pets sometimes look and act alike? We’ve recruited four Berks residents and their pets to have some fun with that idea!
Margaret & Lucy
Margaret Morgan, Catering Sales Manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Reading & Lucy the Boston Terrier
If Lucy had a job she’d be a: Lawyer
Other family members include: Shawn Snyder, boyfriend andLucy’s dad.
How would you describe your style? Classic/trendy
Does your pet have style? How so? She is pretty bold; she loves to strut her stuff, but she is also a bit of a bull in a china shop.
What’s your favorite accessory?I love a good handbag.
What’s your pet’s favorite accessory/toy? She has a toy carrot she loves to play with!
What are your hobbies? I like to work out, play volleyball and hang out with friends.
What’s your pet’s idea of fun? She has a food ball that she loves to push around and have food fall out of to snack on.
What activities do you enjoytogether? Going for walks, taking car rides and playing frisbee. We also love to nap together!
Do you and your pet share any of the same characteristics or personality traits? We can both be a bit sassy.
How did your pet come to be your pet? I found her in the classified ads in the paper.
In what ways has your pet changed your life or lifestyle? Lucy has taught me a lot of responsibility, but I also try to find new adventures to take her on, and that has opened up some new activities for me!
Phoebe & Tobias
Phoebe Canakis, Pure Food Enthusiast, Podcast Producer, Freelance Food Writer and Photographer & Tobias Meowkins Canakis
If Tobias had a job he’d be a: Star. He channels his inner George Clooney and Clint Eastwood as the producer and star of TBO network (Tobias Box Office network). His shows include Mirror My Style (self-care, how to work a room, lots of licking and mirror time), and Social Climber (I literally climb up and away from people and my cat brother Parker because being social is exhausting work.)
Other family members include: Parker, an 8-month-old rescue kitty & Dan, cat dad.
How would you describe your style? Eclectic with a weakness for handmade accessories, because handcrafted goods have a story and the makers are usually huggable. Though not a shopper, I enjoy a good hunt in a thrift shop and finding local boutiques for pieces that flatter versus trends.
Does your pet have style? How so? Tobias is charming, debonair and playful. Grooming is one of his favorite pastimes. There is never a mirror at which he won't pause (people think he's vain, but I know he thinks he might be meeting a new play pal)!
What’s your favorite accessory? An easy smile and earrings
What’s your pet’s favorite accessory/toy? He has a toy given to him by his original rescuers. When he transitioned to the Siamese Pet Recuse foster home, the toy went with him. We call it Big Blue. It's a plush blue toy with a little crinkle noise that he carries everywhere.
What are your hobbies? Reading; hoarding cookbooks, vintage plates, bowls and linens; heirloom and butterfly gardening; speaking with strangers at markets and hunting good cocktails
What’s your pet’s idea of fun? Though not a cat of many words, he loves playing on his own but especially with his new baby brother Parker and hiding in packing paper for alone, reflective time. He also enjoys identifying birds, giving flying headbutts to visitors, and monitoring the neighbor’s chickens.
What activities do you enjoy together? Listening to podcasts. He's smart like that. He enjoys kitchen time but perched on the fridge...no paws on the counters. He is not enjoying his leash training, but he’ll come around if he wants to be hiking outdoors.
Do you and your pet share any of the same characteristics or personality traits? We are comfortably introspective and enjoy our quiet space but still relish meaningful connections with our favorite, cherished human friends.
How did your pet come to be your pet? Our sister-in-law suggested Siamese Pet Rescue, knowing that we wanted another Siamese-type cat when we lost our cat Coco and that adopting would be certain. Tobias first received care from Heavenly Paws Animal Shelter, Inc., and was then put into the Siamese Pet Rescue system (a national group with an east coast branch of volunteers).
In what ways has your pet changed your life or lifestyle? When you lose a pet that has been a part of most of your life and has shared your greatest joys, fears and losses, you don't think you have any more love to give. Until you adopt. I mean, we did have to kitten-proof the house, but we love our boys.
Wayne & Tucker G.
Wayne Gehris, Chief Financial Officer for Reading School District & Tucker G. the Yorkshire Terrier
If Tucker G. had a job he’d be a: Millionaire playboy. (He has a mound of toys, sleeps when he wants and has parents that tend to his every need!)
Other family members include: My beautiful wife and Tucker G.’s mom, Kristin Gehris (recently married this past May)!
How would you describe your style? Classic/preppy
Does your pet have style? How so? Yes. He’s preppy with an edge.
What’s your favorite accessory? Fun and playful socks. Nothing boring!
What’s your pet’s favorite accessory/toy? A rubber holiday bone with “Naughty” on one side and “Nice” on the other. It’s very appropriate!
What are your hobbies? Hanging with friends and family, volunteering in the community, playing golf, bowling, flat-water kayaking, attending sporting events and walking Tucker
What your pet’s idea of fun? Playing fetch and tug-of-war, yoga with his mommy, napping and walking Wayne
What activities do you enjoy together? Hanging out, playing ball and taking walks. Tucker’s been known to throw on a jersey to support his favorite teams, the Philadelphia Phillies and Penn State Nittany Lions!
Do you and your pet share any of the same characteristics or personality traits? I’ve been told that we are playful, determined, inquisitive, adventurous and sometimes stubborn.
How did your pet come to be your pet? Kristin and I had been talking about getting a dog for quite some time. During that time, Kristin was networking at a Women2Women event and learned the Animal Rescue League had a Yorkie that was recently found as a stray on the streets of Reading. On a fall day in October 2015, we met “Fester” and decided to take him for a walk. Boy, he didn’t want anything to do with us; he was just happy to be outside! Honestly, we weren’t quite sure if Fester (it was close to Halloween, and the ARL named him after Uncle Fester) was too interested in coming home with us, but after one day of meeting him, I knew he was the dog for us and we decided to adopt “Tucker” the next day! We named him after Tucker’s Island, a small island formerly off the coast of our favorite vacation spot, Long Beach Island, NJ.
In what ways has your pet changed your life or lifestyle? Tucker has brought so much joy to our lives. He makes us laugh every day when he acts goofy or gives us an inquisitive look like, “What are you up to?” Sometimes we really wish we knew what he was thinking! He helps us de-stress after a long day of work and cuddles up to us when we are not feeling well or are having a bad day. It’s funny how little things like putting a paw on your hand can brighten your day. Sure, there are days when we need to leave the party early because we need to get home to let him out, but that’s okay because we couldn’t imagine our world without him!
Sutton and Neve & Fezzik
Sutton and Neve Dareneau, students and Wyomissing residents & Fezzik the Flemish Giant Rabbit
If Fezzik had a job he’d be: a bodyguard or night watchman.
Other family members include: Thomas and Jennifer, parents.
How would you describe your style? Sutton: relaxed and casual
Neve: I’m very, very fashionable.I dress myself.
Does your pet have style? How so? Yes! He is always grooming himself, especially his ears and feet. And if you move anything around in his crate, he will move it back to its proper spot.
What’s your favorite accessory?
Sutton: a leather bracelet I made at camp and a silver eagle ring from my Grandma Judy
Neve: headbands and sparkly necklaces
What’s your pet’s favorite accessory/toy? Phone books. He loves to rip the pages out.
What are your hobbies? Dancing, reading and playing instruments
What is your pet’s idea of fun? He enjoys eating carrots, getting his fur brushed, untying our shoes, hanging out in the kitchen, bullying our dogs and sleeping in the dogs' beds.
What activities do you enjoy together? We like to pet Fezzik and watch TV with him. He stretches out long on his belly on the rug and makes little noises. When we play board games in the dining room, he comes and sits under the table.
Do you and your pet share any of the same characteristics or personality traits? Sutton: He is like Neve in personality; you can't make him do anything he doesn't want to (like go to bed), but you can trick him into doing it if you give him a treat.
How did your pet come to be your pet? Sutton: Our other rabbit died and my mom was really sad, so daddy and I decided to find a new rabbit for her. We had to drive to the Poconos to get him. Neve wasn't even here yet.
In what ways has your pet changed your life or lifestyle? Well, you have to watch where you step because he's always trying to lay down on your feet. Also, he eats a lot. It's nice to have a big rabbit because he's not afraid of anything. He likes to meet our friends. People are surprised by how big he is and that he lives in the house with us.
