Friday Chat w/ Vlad - August 9, 2024

Hey, it’s Vlad. As many of you probably are aware, the olympics are in full swing, which got me thinking…why can’t foxes be in the olympics?? I mean foxes are insanely athletic. Just as a comparison, the fastest human to ever live Usain Bolt, has a top speed of just over 27 mph. Your average red fox can run a least 30 mph. We would be unbeatable. I checked the olympic committee rule book and nothing in there specifically said competitors could not be a fox. This may be an over site on their part, but I think we can ride that loophole all the way to Olympic glory. As further proof that this is meant to be, the next summer olympics are in Los Angeles. This location would be very accessible for us. So I feel comfortable making it official, the foxes of JABCECC will be trying out for the 2028 Olympic games.

There will be a few new sports at the 28 games. These are reported to be squash, flag football, baseball, cricket and lacrosse. Here’s few more that would really play to our strengths. Yuri for instance, would be an instant favorite to take gold in a competitive eating competition. A few month back when we were watching the Nathan’s hotdog eating contest and Sergei asked him if he thought he could do that, Yuri just said “hold my bearclaw” and downed a bunch of franks left over from our last training session. I have oh so many talents but I truly excel at chewing on rolled up firehoses. I can’t image another athlete exists that could best me in this competition. Of course all of us would likely medal in a find a mouse under three feet of snow competition. I can just imagine the other athletes from around the world, noses pressed firmly against the snow, with nary a clue as to the location of the elusive little rodent, while team USA, puts points on the scoreboard using our keen sense of hearing and smell in addition to our secret weapon…finding hidden object using the earths magnetic field. It will truly be a glorious day for the USA as well as foxes everywhere seeing us on the medal stand, sweeping the competition, gold, silver and bronze. Of course we all know who will be at the top of the stand.

Vlad Out

Friday Chat w/ Vlad - July 12, 2024

Hey, it’s Vlad. I gotta tell you, it’s been like Africa hot here. While Shaka, Zuri and Nala, our African black backed jackals might not mind the heat, us foxes don’t care for it much. Red foxes are quite adaptable and can actually live in the deserts of the Arabian peninsula, but us ambassadors are a different subspecies that prefers it much cooler. Of course Arctic foxes really like it cold. For these reasons management takes special precautions when it gets this hot, such as putting out ice blocks and turning misters on. The Arctic fox villa is equipped with an underground shelter to help keep Freddy and Sakari extra cool.

To make sure everyone here knows how to avoid overheating, I called a staff meeting to go over some important points. I had Laika post a memo letting the others know about the meeting. It said “ Summer’s here and the mercury is rising, which means we all need to think about ways to stay cool. We will have a meeting at 9:45 to discuss. A *T *T *E *N *D *A *N *C *E
R* E *Q* U *I*R* E*D”.

I arrived at our meeting spot at about 9:30 to put out a little spread. Soon after the others started trickling in. Of course several participants were late and it wasn’t until 9:58 that we took attendance. We were just ready to start discussing ways to stay cool when out of the blue Yuri started to dance around the enclosure. Everyone was in a bit of shock over his display and at first we were not sure whether or not it was a medical emergency. After watching him shimmy around for a bit I finally intervened and said Yuri, what in blue blazes are you doing? He stopped his gyrations and said “just what you told me to do in your memo”. Still confused I said “what are you talking about”? Yuri said “read your memo, it’s says at ten dance required”. That Yuri, gotta love him.

Vlad out.

Friday Chat w/ Vlad - June 28, 2024

Hey, it’s Vlad. There is a lot happening at the center right at the moment. It appears that we have entered build mode again as land is being cleared, concrete is being poured and fencing is being put up. Historically this has meant we have new rescues coming in, but no one has told me anything. Frankly this does not surprise me as this type of irresponsible behavior from management has occurred in the past. Clearly I should play a key role in the planning for new residents but so be it, sooner or later they will come to me for assistance. Of course by the time they do there will be countless problems to solve that could have been avoided had they just included their cleverest resident from the get go.

I do know that the Arctic fox villa is almost complete and Freddy and Sakari will be moving in together. What I do not know is what will become of there current habitat. I would vote for turning it in to an all night walk up deli. You never know when you might get the late night munchies and really could go for a pimento loaf sandwich. I’m sure no one will listen to me. My guess is there are some new rescues in there lickety split. Which of course just means more headaches for me and of course no pimento loaf sandwich. I ask for so little yet give so much.

Friday Chat w/ Vlad - June 14, 2024

Hey, it’s Vlad. TGIF my peeps. You can see from the video I posted, I was participating in a game of follow the leader. I’m sure it comes as no surprise to any of my Vladiators who the leader was here. That’s right, it was moi. For those of you not conversant in the French language that means ME. Since leadership is something I know much about I thought I would focus on the concept for today’s chat.

The world needs effective leaders which is why a lot of research has gone into understanding leadership. One place people often look to study this is Wolf packs. While there are many misconceptions as to how a pack functions, they do illustrate how a good leader can help the pack achieve its goals. Here are some examples of the traits necessary to lead a pack.

Visionary - Wolf leaders have a clear vision of what they want to achieve.

Decisive - Wolf leaders make quick decisions that are in the best interest of the pack. They are not afraid to take risks and make tough choices.

Courageous - Wolf leaders are fearless in the face of danger. They lead by example and are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to protect their pack.

Trustworthy - Wolf leaders are dependable and honest. They keep their promises and follow through on their commitments, which earns them the trust of their pack.

Now I know what you are all thinking…that sounds just like you Vlad. Yes it’s true, I do exemplify these features. I will also add that I am a out of the box thinker. A wise man once said, “Never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream.” This is why some might view my methods as unconventional, perhaps even insane but the bottom line is everyone follows me cause I get results…and also because if they don’t I will bite them on their butt.

Now everyone has the capacity to lead but not everyone can be a leader. Henry Ford once said “asking who should be the leader is like asking who should be the tenor in a quartet…the answer is obvious, the one who can sing tenor. The thing is there is no shame in not being a leader. Without followers there would be no leaders…just try not to get bit on the butt.

Friday Chat w/ Vlad - May 31, 2024

Hey, it’s Vlad. We had a very special guest come visit us in our habitat yesterday. It was Danny the dhole. Danny is in town to celebrate world dhole day. JABCECC will be at @myyardlivebeerco in San Marcos on Sunday June 2 to educate people about the dhole and their conservation needs. I’m pretty sure Danny will be in attendance.

I took this opportunity to ask Danny a few questions about dholes. They are known to be highly intelligent canids, but honestly I found him to be a bit two dimensional. He seemed to suffer from flat affect, but he could have just been nervous. He was no doubt aware that I’m a pretty big deal, so it is no surprise he would have a bit of the jitters. Here are some highlights from our conversation.

So Danny, tell me a bit about dholes. Sure Vlad, dholes are found in central and Southeast Asia. We are very endangered with perhaps only 1-2 thousand left in the wild. We are very social canids that can be found in large packs. Sometimes in order to take down very large prey or to protect we will combine together with other packs creating a group that can have over thirty of us. We have unique vocalizations which is the reason some will call us whistling dogs. While we are closer related to domesticated dogs, wolves and coyotes than to foxes, we are still evolutionarily quite removed from them, separating from that branch millions of years ago. We are actually closer related to the African painted dogs. Very interesting Danny, Now I want to really get a view into your psyche so please answer to following question. If you were a vegetable, which would you be and why? Well Vlad I would have to say a rutabaga because much like dholes not everyone knows what they are. Interesting Danny, I would have bet money would would have said a pineapple…you know dole pineapple. Ha ha Vlad, that is the oldest joke in the dhole community and technically a pineapple is a fruit anyway. The leaves of a pineapple plant would be a vegetable Danny. Sure Vlad but who’s gonna eat the leaves? Have you ever tried them Danny? That’s all I’m saying. Anyway hope to see everyone on the 2nd.

Vlad out

Friday Chat w/ Vlad - May 17, 2024

Hey, it’s Vlad. You may recall sometime ago we had a chat about when I became aware of Zuri, the black backed jackal, being allowed to sit in the Crate and Barrel Ankara chair. This is a fairly fancy chair, so needless to say, I was a bit miffed that I don’t have access to such a grand chair. After all, I am everyone’s favorite ambassador and the linchpin to this operation, so It seems like common sense that no one would occupy a chair more splendid than mine. I mean, I’m not asking for a throne, per se, as appropriate as that might be. Anyway, I made sure management was made aware of my displeasure and sat back…not on a chair mind you, and waited for this injustice to be remedied.

Yesterday I got word that my chair had indeed arrived. I imagined it would be something quite special. Maybe a pleather covered BarcaLounger with the shiatsu massage feature, dual cup holders and a hidden compartment to store my snacks. Perhaps it would even have the heated cushions so I could warm my buns on those cold winter nights.

So earlier I hear a staff member come into our habitat to deliver my chair. I come out of my inside dwelling expecting to see a chair commensurate with my value to the center. As I am sure you can imagine I was not pleased with what I saw. The word disappointed somehow does not express the shear disgust I felt upon viewing this abomination. I mean it’s a good thing I have flea treatment on because it looks like this chair was purchased for 99 cents at the local flea market.

After taking a few minutes to regain my composure and to remember I am resilient if nothing else, I determined I was not going to predicate my self worth on the grandiosity of a chair. So I took a mighty leap and laid down in my chair… and you know what, it was darn comfy. Sure there is no shiatsu massage and nothing to warm my buns but that’s what my fur is for. A throne is not made by the value of the furniture but rather the value of the one that occupies it.

When life gives you lemons make lemonade.

Vlad out.

Friday Chat w/ Vlad - May 3, 2024

Hey, it’s Vlad. Have you ever had something that everyone else wants and you have to move heaven and earth just to keep it for yourself? I mean sharing is great and everything but sometimes you need to exercise self care and be a little selfish. I know it sounds unusual hearing me talk about being selfish as I am such a giver, but in this case I made an exception.

You see I had this ball that I really wanted to play with and Sergei was all over me like a cheap suit in the rain. I tried everything but he just wouldn’t leave me alone. I even tried burying my ball in hopes that the out of sight out of mind principal would work, but no such luck, Sergei was relentless.

The thing is there where plenty of other toys around Sergei could have, but he wanted MY toy. It was really quite rude if you ask me. It’s been said that “rudeness is the weak mans imitation of strength”. Certainly Sergei’s weakness was showing.

Perhaps this can be a teachable moment where Sergei’s rudeness towards me can open a broader discussion. I spend a fair amount of time on the interwebs as it helps me keep up on current events. The amount of rudeness I see is staggering. People seem to take pride in their insults. The anonymity of social media creates a training ground for heinous behavior. Once people begin to feel empowered by this behavior it begins to permeate their everyday life, they lose all social graces…and as you all know I am an expert on social graces.

So to review. Unnecessary rudeness doesn’t make you strong it shows the world you’re weak. Cruelty to animals does not make you strong, it makes you weak. And Sergei stealing my ball does not make him strong but makes him weak….and a big poo poo head 💩

Vlad out

Friday Chat w/ Vlad - April 19, 2024

Hey, it’s Vlad. So Laika decided to get a bit sassy with me so I had to show her what it’s like to run with the big dogs. She is known around here for being a bit on the loco side, and the fact that she engaged in an unprovoked attack kind of proves it. I was just minding by business when out of nowhere she rushed me and grabbed me by the neck. Clearly this was a bad idea as with my superior combat skills I was quickly able to vanquish her. I then retreated to a neutral corner to plan my next move. Obviously she needed to be taught a lesson. When Laika had recovered from my first vanquishing, I slowly crept over and hid behind a log. Then, when she least expected it, I was on her like a buzzard on a gut wagon. Not wanting to “lock horns” again, Laika took flight. She needed to learn that if you’re gonna create a storm ☔️ you can’t get mad when it rains, so I gave chase. The chase continued until she laid down in a clear sign of submission. At this point I felt no further need to escalate the conflict so I just savored my victory.

Friday Chat w/ Vlad - April 5, 2024

Hey, it’s Vlad. It appears that spring has sprung here at the center. The signs of this are all around. Of course we are all in full shed which means floating clumps of hair are the official bird around here. Yuri’s winter fat has turned into his spring rolls. The days are getting warmer and longer however due to our location in the mountains outside of San Diego, the weather can be quite fickle as evidenced by that fact that it is supposed to snow. Next week we will be back to spring with the mercury predicted to hit 70 degrees, that’s 21 Celsius for our metric friends.

Another sure sign that spring is here are the formerly barren hillsides that have turn into an explosion of color and fragrances almost overnight. Us ambassadors got to enjoy some of these flowers…of course Yuri tried to eat them.

Spring is also the time things go into high gear at the center. The Arctic fox Villa will be complete and Freddy and Sakari will get the home the always dreamed of. A new #dorkwolf habitat and a jackal house are on the construction schedule and everyone is eagerly awaiting there completion. This will free up some existing enclosures which will allow us to rescue additional canids and give them a forever home where they can be safe and happy.

Our educational programs will also kick up to the next level. While rescuing an individual animal is very rewarding and high profile, it’s with our educational outreach where we can do the most good. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach him how to fish feed him for a lifetime”. This is kind of what we are doing here. Many youngsters that we speak to say they want to grow up and rescue animals. If only a fraction actually follow through, we have created an army of canid crusaders who will help many animals.

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow

Friday Chat w/Vlad - March 22, 2024

Hey, it’s Vlad. This is a public service announcement brought to you by Vlad, JABCECC and Ewok the Fox.

Have you ever wondered what happens to all the foxes out there that find themselves in a difficult situation?? Well perhaps you should. Whether they are born on a fur farm, end up as an unwanted pet, or are born in the wild but for whatever reason can no longer live there, they all need a safe place they can call home. Thankfully, there are kind humans around that make it their mission to rescue many of these foxes.

Personally, I was rescued from Siberia. Compared to some foxes I didn’t have it bad, although some days it was so cold I probably could’ve cut glass with my nipples. The thing is, being a fox with such exemplary talents, I could never live up to my full potential where I was and likely had a dire future. My whole life changed when JABCECC was successful in the Herculean task of bringing me to America 🇺🇸. I’m not sure if it’s shear tenacity or utter insanity that drives the founders to help us canids. They willingly donate their time and money to make all us residents as happy as possible. When we get a call about a canid in need, they move heaven and earth to find the resources to give that animal a good and meaningful life. In return, of course we give them plenty of poop and other bodily fluids. They also get to deal with our medical issues ranging from the minor to the major. Then there are the issues of running a non profit, from the paperwork to the permits to the personnel to the funding etc. The more I think about it the more I come to believe the utter insanity explanation makes the most sense . Of course their generosity is rewarded by all of us with our love and appreciation, shown by each of us in our own way. I, for instance, do my best not to give the founders a look of haughty derision more than two times a day..it’s a big sacrifice on my part.

Similar stories to this play out all around. Rescues, run by selfless people, helping animals in need. The thing we all have is common is the need for help. Be it volunteering or donations, do what you can, you will be glad you did.