The People in the Neighborhood, Vol. 23

You may not recognize the guy on the right, but you've probably seen his work. Shawn, alongside his partner Jen (business and romantic) and a couple of key staff members, designs plush ninjas, mustaches, even adorable clumps of poo under the "Shawnimals" label. He's also had a tortured couple of months following the brutal attack of his dog Remmy by two loose pitbulls near our neighborhood square.

Things were touch-and-go for Remmy in the beginning. But now, after a few operations, a skin graft (another is scheduled to save her most damaged leg), and several weeks of bandaging, Remmy's prognosis looks very, very good. She's eating again, walking independently up and down the stairs, and cheerfully approaching passersby for a pat on the head (something I can personally attest to).

Yesterday we went to a benefit for Remmy's care -- the cost of surgery and related therapy is now approaching $15,000 -- at our favorite neighborhood watering hole. It was a true community effort: Local cooks whipping up soups, sandwiches, and boozy snow cones for the "Snackdown" theme of the hour, neighborhood artists contributing raffle items, a local DJ donating his time and bar offering up its space. I suppose it takes a village to heal a dog, and we were happy to find ourselves in that villagy envelope, especially when we won the raffle item we'd had our eye on (a print we have zero wall space for, but what the heck).

This was like a good old-fashioned rent party, all assembled by the guy above left, an organic, free-range bacon purveyor who tracked Shawn down on Facebook after hearing of the attack.

Shawnimals is about to launch their Remmy Ninja in their sweet pup's honor, and I'm proud to own prototype #1, hand-sewn by Jen as the clock ticked so John could make it the centerpiece of my birthday present.

Get well soon, Remmy. Hope to see you on four furry legs in short order.