Legal Guardian

Find out why this dog always has her day in court.

- Evan Miller

There’s a jewish concept that Lori Raineri tries to live by: tikkun olam. It means re-pair the world, do what you can to make it a better place. Lori’s a doer. Type A squared. So even picking out a new puppy at the shelter that day in 2006, she was looking for more than a pet to keep her company. The Davis, California, resident is single. No kids. When her two senior dogs died, she couldn’t help but think of how their lives had touched only hers.

“I want a dog that helps other people,” she told a friend who’d come with her.

“Have you heard about the therapy dogs they use in hospitals?” her friend, who’s a nurse, said. “They comfort patients. Children especially love them.”

Wonderful. Tikkun olam. The shelter manager led them to a pen where six puppies, Border-collie mixes, were tumbling about. Except for one. She sat alone in a corner. Lori reached into the pen and lifted her up.

“Hey, baby girl,” she cooed. The pup stiffened. Lori had never seen one so shy.

“You might like this other puppy better,” the manager said. “See how playful he is?”

Lori looked down at the pup in her arms. She seemed like Lori’s opposite in every way, but there was something about the way her eyes took in everything. “No, this is the one,” she said. The puppy’s expression reminded Lori of the dog in the Blondie comic strip. “I’m going to call her Daisy.”