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There’s no better companion to break in the New Year than with my Lucky. He is my soulmate. We share the same heart. That’s why I am giving him tonight’s post taking us into 2023. Life has hit us with so many ups and downs since May 10th, 2017 when I rescued him in Puerto Rico. But, our resolve to stay together is unbreakable and unshakable. 

We are going into 2023 very challenged. But, we are laser focused and I’m betting on us pulling through. Let’s all raise our glasses and make a toast to the year of focus, resilience and fortitude.

I’m still lucky in love with Lucky. And I always will be.  

Happy New Year to all our friends from around the world. 

Sometimes you just walk out of your house and your life changes forever. That’s what happened 4 years ago today on December 28th, 2018 when I first encountered Polar Bear in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. It was about 8 pm on a Friday night and I was out tracking a couple of stray animals that I was going to line up rescues for back in the states. 

On my way home that night, I ran across a man sprawled out sleeping on his back on the sidewalk. He had 4 street dogs nestled around his body. It was very sad to see and yet endearing at the same time. While they all had nothing, they found comfort in each other. I had seen this man sleeping on the sidewalk before. I wasn’t sure if he was homeless or just used to get really drunk and then pass out on the street. The 4 dogs must have come from the same litter as they all looked alike. They were about 10 months old. 1 year tops. 

As I walked past them around fifteen feet or so, one of the four dogs got up and started following me. I said to myself, “well this is interesting.” I continued walking home and the dog followed me right to my front door. At this point we had walked a few blocks together. Now mind you, I had 7 dogs in the house already. But, this dog didn’t know about my circumstances. He just needed a break. So, I gave him a break. I started petting his head letting him know the worst was officially behind him. And I invited him into the house. I was not planning on keeping him. I was going to adopt him out to a nice family.  

A few months later, my life had drastically changed. I was now making plans to return to the states after 4.5 years in Puerto Rico.  I was taking my small dogs with me over to Florida. But, for the big dogs; Rocky, Lucky and Polar Bear, I had to find a nice family in Puerto Rico to look after them while I got set up in the states.

Six months later, I finally brought my big dogs over to the states. It was the biggest touchdown of my life. Remember, I only knew Polar Bear for a few months before I left Puerto Rico. So, I had to get reacquainted with him. And to his credit, with his courage, heart and charm, Polar Bear barreled his way to the center of the family just like the picture above.

Sometimes I call Polar Bear the Daddy Bear. Or the Magical Bear. Sometimes I call him Polar Daddy. And sometimes I just call him Daddy. Why Daddy? Because that’s what he sees when he looks at me. So, when I call him “Daddy,” I am envisioning what he’s saying to himself when he’s looking at me.

Polar Bear is a combination of a real life teddy bear, Mr. Snuffaluffagus and a polar bear from the Artic. How cool is that?

The 4 year anniversary of Polar Bear’s rescue is coming up on December 28th, 2022. This is a very special post considering Christmas time and us both being lost in Puerto Rico 4 years ago. I will save that story for the actual anniversary. 

It took about 50 attempts to catch this picture. I had to distract Polar Bear from all that was going on behind me and get into some odd bodily positions to catch this snap. But, I have caught many snaps over the years applying such techniques. 

Sometimes I actually get confused if Polar Bear is an actual polar bear from the Arctic or a stray dog from Puerto Rico. My imagination is like that. It flows in and out of reality. It’s like the late great Muhammad Ali once said, “A man with no imagination is a man with no wings.” 

But whatever Polar Bear is or isn’t, I just know that he’s the best damn bear a man could ask for. So for tonight, Let’s fly high, expand our wings and come to accept that Polar Bear is an actual polar bear from the Arctic. 

That’s our Christmas story for tonight. 

I don’t live with an attitude of gratitude anymore. I’m not a grateful person like I was during my Everybody Loves Sammy and Dr. Harp Seal days. All of that changed when Patrick and Sammy died and then the carnage of Covid. 

But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t remember how grateful I was when Mookie Daddy was returned to me. I left Puerto Rico on March 28th, 2019. A week prior to that I adopted Mookie out to a family in Puerto Rico. I was absolutely heartbroken as I loved him more than anything. 

When I arrived in Miami with Sammy, Henry and BabyLady, I realized that adopting Mookie out was a horrible mistake. In other words, did it really matter if it was 4 small dogs instead of 3 small dogs? – No. It would not have made a difference at all. But, I didn’t  know that until I got to Florida. Upon that realization, I was totally crushed by that mistake on top of being heartbroken in his absence. When you adopt an animal out, it’s kind of like death. Meaning you will never see them again. 

4 months later in August, the family that adopted Mookie called me and asked if I would take him back. I got the call while I was at work. I was so shocked that I almost fell out of my chair. The mother was going in for surgery and between recovering and her kids, she was not going to be able to take care of Mookie anymore. One week later on August 10th, 2019, my sweet little Mookie was back in my life. It was like death had been reversed. 

Mookie is the sweetest boy in the world with his little kisses and tail wags. He has the best disposition. Mookie is so happy that sometimes he just rolls on his back waving his front paws up and down. He used to do that in Puerto Rico with me. Mookie remembers how happy we were and that happiness has been reinstilled upon us being reunited. There’s a very special bond between Mookie and myself. And that bond is unbreakable and unshakable. 

Mookie and Dad, together Forever.

Please Drive With Compassion. There are stray animals in the street.

That’s what brought Dr. Tricia Working and myself together at a pet conference in South Carolina back in 2017. When I saw the lady at the conference with a Pomeranian, I walked right over and introduced myself. Within 10 minutes, it was like we had know each other forever. In the picture with us is Tricia’s late great Pomeranian, Prince. He passed about 4 years ago. It will be 3 years since Sammy passed on January 30th.

Tricia also lives with a pack of animals like me. Mostly cats. A lot of cats. But dogs too. The inside of her house is designed like a jungle. Leopard prints and all. Since I have been on my animal welfare and rescue journey, Dr. Trisha Working is one of the few people that I have met where her personal life is ALL about her animals. In other words, her animals are not part of her life, they ARE her life. Just like with me and my wolfpack. I would say the same of my great friend Anitza Burgos back in Puerto Rico. She lives with a large pack of wolves too.

Dr. Tricia Working is the Author of a book called “The Fur Agreements.” It is a book about, for, and because of the animals in our world and the missions they come to us with – the agreements they make with the Divine to be our Wayshowers on the path to our emerging true humanity.

I’m a city boy as most of you know. I don’t really travel at all. But, for some reason in May of 2017, this city boy spent a weekend in the South and met one of the best people he’s ever known. My life is more complete and better because I know Tricia Working.

That’s my story for tonight.

We had BabyLady groomed today. This is her Groomer, Jennifer. It’s the first time they ever met, but it’s like they have known each other forever. Check them out striking a pose together. BabyLady had the happiest spa day of her life today.

BabyLady was rescued off the streets of Morovis, Puerto Rico in August of 2018 by my good friend Anitza Burgos. She was given to me about 2 weeks after Patrick was killed. BabyLady and I have been helping each other ever since.

As many of you know, I named my Patrick after the late great actor, Patrick Swayze. I did that because I always felt bad the way Patrick Swayze died. In the spirit of keeping that connection alive, the ‘Baby’ part of her name is from the character Baby in the movie, Dirty Dancing. The thing is BabyLady was already six years old when she was rescued. So, she was not a baby. That’s why I added the ‘Lady’ part to her name. And that’s how the name ‘BabyLady’ was created. Some have said it’s one of the most creative names in the history of the world. I kind of agree to be honest.

As Patrick Swayze said in the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing, “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.”

Dad and BabyLady, together forever. Please Drive With Compassion. There are stray animals in the street.

Happy Thanksgiving from the original crew back in NYC. On the right is Henry. He’s still with us.

We are a pack of 7 now. It’s actually 8 if you include me. We march on now in the name of Sammy and Patrick. From here on in, and for the rest of my life, we are now DriveWithCompassion(dot)com community. Of course Sammy (on the left) and Patrick are part of that community too. That will never change. After all, Sammy is the reason that we created the Everybody Loves Sammy online community. And that community is what made the DriveWithCompassion movement possible.

Lastly, yes, I am really this handsome. Lol. But seriously it’s true.

That’s our Thanksgiving story for today.

It was a random Thursday on November 19th, 2015. I was walking Sammy, Henry and Patrick at a local park in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. All of a sudden, a frail, sick and tick infested Pit Bull mix walked over to us and just sat down. I was taken aback at first as I was worried about my 3 small dogs. So, I took my 3 little ones and walked 20 feet away or so. The Pit Bull mix walked right over to us again and just sat down.

That is when it hit me. This animal was letting me know that he can no longer make it on his own. He had nowhere else to go. He was letting me know that he was at the end of the line. I remember acknowledging what he said to me. I took my 3 small dogs back inside the house and came back outside to be with this animal in need.

I told him that everything will be OK and the worst is over now. From there I created a story called “Happy Rocky Tuesday” about a stray animal who defied all the odds. It was a story of hope. I wrote about Rocky every single Tuesday for years. I love Rocky like a crazy man.

On March 28th, 2019 I left Puerto Rico and had to leave him behind for 6 months while I got set up in Miami. I was absolutely devastated. As soon as I landed in Miami, I had one Goal in mind; to bring my 3 big boys, including Rocky over to the states with me. In September of 2019, I got my boys back. Many questioned if I would actually come back for them during those 6 months. Apparently, they never get the memo that I would swim across oceans and move mountains for them.

Today, on November 19th, 2022, marked the 7th year anniversary of when I rescued Rocky off the streets of Puerto Rico. We are now happily living together in Florida as you can see Rocky frolicking in the picture here.

Please remember to Drive With Compassion. There are stray animals in the street.

The world was not big enough for Lucky and myself to not find each other. This had to happen. I pulled him off the street in Puerto Rico on May 10th, 2017. We’re now living together in Florida.

I will always be lucky in love with Lucky.

Please Drive With Compassion. There are stray animals in the street.

Our good friend Barbara Makransky died 2 months ago in August. I found out last week when I was combing her FB wall after not hearing from her in several months. Our instincts pick up on people going silent. That holds true even in the digital world. She apparently died of a heart attack. Barbara and I were about the same age.

I first met Barbara back in NYC on West 34th Street at Macys. It was in 2012 and I was putting one of our Everybody Loves Sammy (ELS) videos together. Barbara had a little cameo appearance if I remember correctly. This picture was taken in 2014. The same year that I rescued Patrick. She got to meet the home team where it all began. Sammy on the right and Patrick are both gone now. Both of them died tragically just as Barbara did this past August. I will always treasure this picture of my friend Barbara Makransky and my home team. Barbara made the world a better place. She will be deeply missed.

No lives will go in vain. No pain will go unnoticed. Amen.

Sincerely, Scott Smith, Sammy and Patrick’s human dad and General to the greatest wolfpack in the history of the world.