Jennifer Love Hewitt and Her Rescue Dog Duke. If you wonder why Jennifer Love Hewitt is such a hit with dog lovers, just read the quote below from Modern Dog Magazine. MD: What dog-kids do you currently have? JLH: I have a very interesting dog. He’s a rescue. His name is Duke. He is Australian Shepherd/German Shepherd, Catahoula Hound—the very first American dog—and we’ve been told (that he’s) also wolf. He’s amazing. MD: How did he come into your life? JLH: I was working on The Client List and I was directing an episode this season and I’m friends with this wonderful actress named Elaine Hendrix. She does such amazing work with animals (with Animal Rescue Corp) and actually has this find-your-mate matchmaking organization for people and pets (thepetmatchmaker. com). So we were on the set talking and I was asking her how it was going—had she found a lot of animals homes—she was just so passionate about it. I had never had a rescue before, and…this year has been very difficult for me in that my mother passed away extraordinarily suddenly and she’s always been my best friend. And so when I was thinking about an animal this time, I was thinking, you know, I have been somebody who felt very lost. Very abandoned by the universe. And very much like how these dogs must feel: like, there’s nothing wrong with you, you’re just not found yet. So when Elaine was talking about animals, she was talking about it that way. And I thought: wow, maybe I have more of a connection now; maybe this is why I’ve never had a rescue before. This year, I’ve had a million moments where I felt I just needed to be rescued, and I’ve had to do that for myself. When she was talking about it, it really touched me in a place it hadn’t before. So I (told her), I’d love to maybe find a dog at some point… It was not meant to be in any sort of rushed situation. It was meant to be maybe, you know, next year I’ll find a dog. We finished up the episode, and she called me a couple days later and said, “I do have this one dog. He’s very special. ..He’s just a love. He’s 65 pounds but he thinks he’s five pounds and he constantly wants to be in your lap. Maybe you should take a look at him.” So I said great, can I take him for the weekend? She went through all the proper channels…I had him for one weekend and when I had to give him back…my heart sank. And so we decided to keep him. And it’s been great. I get now why people rescue dogs…It was a lesson I had to learn. It’s been very healing for me. I feel I really came out of a fog. He’s lifted me up. MD: In an industry that can be somewhat superficial, how does Duke help keep you grounded? JLH: In rescue, you have to prove yourself…I’m in this for the long haul. I feel like I’m earning his trust as much as the other way around. …There’s also something very grounding about loving something that much. They do become like children and family members. And particularly after having just lost a family member, it’s very profound to let go and to allow someone back in that space. It’s very moving, very grounding. It’s been a gift for both of us. MD: What do you do with Duke when you have long days on the set? JLH: Duke has his own trailer. It says Duke’s Room on the door. He has his water and toys and treats and he hangs out, and in between takes we hang out together. Everyone on the set stops by Duke’s Room for a visit. If you can’t find a cast member, they’re in Duke’s Room. MD: What have you learned about life from Duke? JLH: There’s a real friendship. I’ve learned commitment, dedication. I’ve learned what abandonment can look like. He was skittish and shaky and unsure and to watch as he becomes more confident and to see that transformation and how good it can be. You can really change people by loving them the right way. And dog’s are the same way. And you get all that yumminess in return.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:27:19 +0000
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