Special bonds: Captain Dan and Mary
/“I love me some Captain Dan!”
If you ask Mary about her special love, Captain Dan, she’s more than happy to tell you, “There are so many things to love about him! He has an adorable smile and a larger than life personality, so it’s no surprise that Esther finds him so “hunky.” When Mary arrives at HEEFS on her volunteer day, Captain Dan is her first stop. “I like to put alittle “sparkle” on him…and maybe offer him a kiss or two.” (That explains the pink lip gloss we often find on the Captain’s forehead!)
Mary’s special bond with Captain Dan started on her first day as a regular volunteer. “I had the task of straightening up the towel shelves, which are located near Captain Dan’s ‘Man Cave.’ He very patiently listened to me drone on and on about boring things and he would occasionally tilt his head as if to say, “Oh, really.” Of course, I had to give him an apple treat. He is such a sweetheart!”
But it’s not all love and roses! “The Captain also has a mischievous side,” confides Mary. “He has a habit of hiding his feed bowl, so volunteers have to wander around to find it. And he always seems to win when playing “tug-of-war” with his tarp. At the end of each competition he’ll take his tarp into his Man Cave with an attitude of “it’s mine now” as he walks away. “
“As a biologist, animal advocate, and supporter of animal rights organizations and sanctuaries, I admire and respect the hard work and love that the staff and volunteers provide to the animals every day.” Mary knows that Captain Dan and his fellow HEEFS residents are treated as “someones” not “somethings.” “They are happy, healthy, and enjoying life surrounded by caring staff and volunteers where their individuality is able to shine through.”
“I love being a part of the HEEFS family. A place where likeminded people are working to make a difference, so one day all farm animals will have a special bond with someone who loves them. Like I have with Captain Dan.”
