Spooky Zuksie

Last weekend, I went to my very first Halloween party! I’ve heard about this spooky holiday before but never took part. Turns out, it’s quite the scene — costumes, music, tasty treats, and more butts to sniff than I could count. To celebrate, we went to a party hosted by Ruff Start, an animal rescue organization here in St. Croix. Festivities were held at Ruff Night – Hair of the Dog Bar, which is a backyard-style spot in Frederiksted on the west side of the island — the same area where I was a community dog before I found my family.

Frederiksted is a bit of a drive from our home on the east end, but I didn’t mind. I got to curl up with Elijah and Penelope in the back seat while the Newfies rode in the truck bed, tongues out, slobber flying, taking in all the island smells. They did great back there and were, of course, leashed in so they couldn’t jump out.

On the way home, though, we experienced quite the fright. We heard some noises while driving, looked behind us, then BAM, out of nowhere, a giant furry creature appeared, glowing red in the brake lights, nose squished against the glass. We all jumped! Turns out it was just Kona trying to crawl through the back window to be closer to us. Typical.

The party was worth the drive, and it was so fun to dress up. My parents went as Pongo and Perdita from 101 Dalmatians. I thought their costumes were decent, though their tailbones lacked tails, and they shed their spots around the bar more than my snake brother Sev sheds his skin. On a positive note, their ears — handcrafted by Penelope — were spectacular! The rest of us went as Ty Beanie Babies. Elijah and Penelope were Beanie Baby dogs, but we dogs went as different animals — funny, right? Moca was a bear (logical), Kona was a cow (makes sense), and me? I was a fox named Sly. It fits — because I am sly, just not a fox.

Our costumes were so good we entered a costume contest. Technically, we didn’t win, but I’m pretty sure we stole the show. People couldn’t get over how big, furry, and polite the Newfies were. I was beloved too, especially by a tiny dog dressed as a mermaid. We circled each other for a bit — I’m pretty sure she liked me. All in all, it was a great time! The humans have a few more Halloween outings planned this week, but I’m good until next year.

A Note of Compassion: As much fun as the night was, something heavier has been on our minds this week. Our neighbor islands are being hit hard by Hurricane Melissa. We’re safe here on St. Croix, but our hearts are with everyone in the storm’s path. We still remember the hurricanes of 2017 — especially Maria — and the devastation, rebuilding, and long recovery that followed. Once Melissa moves on, it will likely leave behind a path of destruction that takes years to heal. Support during and after natural disasters is so important — not just in the immediate days, but in the years that follow. My family and I will keep an eye out for ways to help as the needs become clearer. I hope you can do the same too!