Rita was described in her 2015 Muttville listing as a “fiery redhead.”
She proved to be just that-a sassy, strong-willed, no-nonsense lady who knew what she wanted, and what she wanted was a snack and a nap.
She was found stray and in rough shape at a busy highway intersection. There was no one to tell us about her past. The state of her little hairs, teeth, and body told us that it was a tough one.
Rita was independent-not much of a cuddler some days, but made it known exactly where to give the scritch scrotches if you paid attention. She was always silent-except when away from me. Then she would throw her head back and howl inconsolably like the tiniest wolf, which made me heartsick. The solution, obviously, was to take her with me everywhere I went instead.
A worldly woman, she travelled on trains, planes, buses, cars, boats, bikes, and in backpacks, across and everywhere in between San Francisco and Los Angeles. To Lake Tahoe, to wine country, and as far as the east US coast. She humored the sunshine with me, went camping, attended music festivals, visited the beaches. What she probably wanted to do more than anything was eat from the snack ball and fall asleep with me (we did plenty of that too).
Many of you knew Rita as regal, a cultured dame, like an estranged but beloved aunt who may have flown in from Paris just for the weekend bringing perfectly suited gifts, disappearing again just as quickly. She worked with me in a museum, in Emotional Support. Being in the industry, you can imagine that any museum in San Francisco you can name, she has likely visited, as well as the opera, the theatre, galleries, and beyond.
However, a side you may not have seen, she didn’t take herself too seriously. She kept it positive, casual, and goofy-a really relatable lady who wasn’t afraid to forget her infirmities and zoom around.
She made many animal friends, most of whom were also old, at her local park outings, though she reserved her full self just for those for whom she had a special affinity. So many human friends as well cherished her, and she brought spontaneous smiles to strangers’ faces as she side-carred along daily in the sling at my hip.
I knew she was a pomeranian mutt, and though her family and friends guessed she contained something of squirrel/fox/bear/raccoon/mouse/rabbit/wolf, DNA ultimately revealed that her primary mix was with the grand German Spitz. However, she was also the embodiment of matriarch ancestors who transitioned before her-two great-grandmothers, and a grand-aunt: Italian, Argentine, French, and a little bit of Volpino or long-haired chihuahua maybe.
Rita concerned herself with social justice. She attended protests and marches (you can donate to her causes at this link).
We remember together the beautiful little body: the beard, the beans, the drumstick, the parachute pants, the grinch paws, the eternal butt shelf, the baleen fan, the shark eyes, the fat arm, the bad taxidermy, the glorious eyelashes, the snaggle, and the little walnut which in the end was her undoing.
Rita was known by many affectionate and ever-evolving nicknames:
Lil girl, Bicho, Bärchen, Floof, Morsilla, Toasted Marshmallow, Fuwafuwa potetokēki, Torta de papa esponjoso. As she got older, DJ PeePee Paws. And now that she’s gone, she’s my Spirit Rita.
She leaves behind too many adoring entities to list by name. Her mother, auntie, grammog, grampog, uncle, and so many more.
Rita was my family in San Francisco, a friend, a colleague, a roommate, but mostly just my lil girl.
When she died I know it was felt by many.
Rita, we’ll dream of you.
Rita is a fiery redhead who can’t wait to meet you! Although we don’t know anything about her past, we can tell Rita is an easy going gal who enjoys the company of her human and doggie friends. We often find her just lounging around, soaking up the sunshine. Even though she likes being out and about, Rita has some serious cuddling skills. We think she’ll make a great addition to any home!
We think Rita is 10 years young, weighing about 10 lbs.
2/22/22
