The other day, I saw something truly remarkable. Yes, here in Southern California. Not Iowa.
I know. It’s a white Chevy Equinox parked near some trails in Topanga. Nothing to see here. But what makes this woman and her car extraordinary are its occupants. Including this:
Yes, a ferocious, angry Pit Bull..try not to drown in his slobber. Oh, and there was also this:
This Is No Ordinary Goat
Yes, a full-grown Nubian Goat. His name is Shiva, and he is unquestionably more badass than you can imagine. First of all, he has his own Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shivatheurbangoat/. Please check it out. You’ll find that is a rescue goat from the streets of Van Nuys. You can’t make this stuff up. My favorite part about Shiva is this:
There are four dogs in that car, 3 of which are enormous Pit Bulls. But Shiva’s perfectly comfortable while the dogs are crammed together. Why? Because Shiva’s a badass motherbucker. He’s obviously the alpha goat in this equation. Additionally, the fact that he’s being walked alongside the canine crew is simply fantastic. Hooray for Shiva!
But Wait! There’s More.
This story is not a standalone experience. A few days before, I saw my friend walking some miniature horses in the hills above Malibu:
It’s Not Just In Topanga
And if you’re thinking, ‘Well, you live in Topanga Canyon. It’s an alternative place filled with wanna-be farmers.” You’d be right. Except the week before, I saw this guy in the Palisades:
Say What?
A parrot and a Doberman. Not exactly a likely combination, but he seems ok. The Pacific Palisades is probably the least edgy place in Los Angeles. Except for maybe Brentwood, which is precisely the spot where I witnessed this:
What’s That You Ask?
Yes, that’s exactly what you think it is– a woman strolling to Starbucks with her tortoise. It was fabulous. Of course, I’ve also seen a guy walking his potbellied pig in West Hollywood; I mean, who hasn’t?
It’s More Common Here Than You Think
A reader once sent me a photo of a parrot on the sideview mirror as it went through the Starbucks drive-thru.
What does all of this mean? Is it not enough to have a hairless, half-blind, three-legged rescue dog here in LA? Do you need a barnyard or exotic animal to be considered cool? Yeah, pretty much. But don’t worry, this is LA. The fad will pass, and next month, you’ll be expected to walk your dog with a token robot, alien, or senior citizen. Of course, I’m joking, I get the phenomenon. I believe this trend comes from a good place. Angelinos love animals. We also love the outdoors. Additionally, many of us yearn for the spontaneous interactions with strangers that other city dwellers experience on public transportation. Since we can’t bump into you on the subway, we’ll bring our tortoise to Starbucks and hope you’ll stop by to chat. I think it’s great! The only problem is that I now really want a goat!