Photo Essay: Meet Matador Pets
Last week, we put out a call for Matador member pet photos. We received contributions from all over the world: Argentina, Mexico, Japan, the Phillipines, Canada, England, Indonesia, and many states across the US.
The response didn’t surprise me.
Pets are more than companions for many of us. They’re family members, teachers, and travel buddies. They’re who we miss when we travel. Some of us even find ways to take our pets on the road with us, deepening our joy and connection to others on the journey.
This photo essay celebrates the pets of Matador community members, writers, and editors. By showing off our pet photos, we open our lives, allowing others to see the tender, more intimate side of ourselves.
Enjoy the photos and descriptions below. Feature photo by Magnera.
1. Tobi in Pitt Meadows, BC, Canada. “Tobi is an alpha female who enjoys speaking in growls, bullying other dogs, and mooching off guests when they come visit.”- Ian MacKenzie, Brave New Traveler Editor
2. “This is Dexter. He’s 12. He escaped his carrier when the drugs wore off on the flight from the US to Argentina. The woman next to me said, ‘Your cat.’ He’d been nudging my feet and I knew the drugs were wearing off. Half asleep, I said, ‘I know. He’s fine.’ She said, ‘No! He’s out!’ He’d unzipped his carrier and started toward the aisle and was luckily detained by my seat mate. I gave him another pill and held him as he looked out the window at the newly illuminated clouds. I never saw such a look of shock and disbelief on his face before. It was precious. Now he attacks and happily munches any insect that flies into the apartment.” -Kate Sedgwick, Matador Nights Editor
3.Alison Turner’s dog, Max, in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She describes him as a cartoon. Alison quit her job to travel across the USA with Max and a tent.
4.Jetson (aka Devil Cat) in St. Alban’s, Newfoundland. “He’s a real tomcat and a general nuisance to the neighborhood. He’s also been shot at more than 50 Cent. I love him anyway.”-Candice Walsh, Matador Network Associate Editor
5. Rufus on the east coast of Okinawa, Japan.“Here’s Rufus, my Husky/Shiba, physical trainer, ears, eyes, constant companion and cat cruncher!”- Mike Lynch
6. “My wife rescued Julio off the streets of Buenos Aires in 2002.”-David Miller, Matador Network Senior Editor and Founding Editor of the Traveler’s Notebook
7. “Our family includes (clockwise): Toby (our mischievous, one-eyed cat), Butch Mbwa (the laid-back dog who adopted us in Kenya), Abby (our queen diva and head-warmer extraordinaire) and Bianca (our awkward little deaf chihuahua who snores and stumbles her way through life).”-Associate editor JoAnna Haugen of Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo of Butch Mbwa and Toby taken in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.)
8. Akeelah on a road trip, “sleeping on the dashboard on a tour through fall colors in Prince Edward Island.”-Dona Francis
9. The goat, Little Bit, on the Lone, California farm of MatadorU alum and member Carina Port. “They’re kept just as pets because they’re so fun.”
10. Sara Gonzalez’s cat “Rebelde” (rebeld in spanish) in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.
11. Leah Budke’s dog, Zoey enjoying the first snow of the season in Hays, Kansas.
12. “This is Storm, a shy formerly abused dog we rescued, hiking on Mt. Hood’s Timberline Trail.”-Ahimsa Kerp
13. Matador Network Intern, Abbie Mood, took this shot in Anaheim, CA after her dogs, Daisy and Sadie, were “pooped after a loooong hike!”
14. “Emerson was adopted from a pit bull rescue and lives with us in the mountains of California. He enjoys nothing more than romping around in squishy piles of snow. Despite our protests, Emerson emphatically insists that he is indeed a 75 pound lap dog.”- Sarah Park
15. Lori Rice’s dog, Macy, at her parent’s house in Newburgh, Indiana. Macy’s full name? Macy Maek the World a Better Place.
16. “This is Umbra and Dakota who are so in love and inseparable! They are always playing with each other and have such different personalities.”- Zak Kleyn, who moved with Umbra and Dakota from Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa to Farnham, Surrey, England.
17. “This is my chocolate lab Adi, enjoying Halloween in Texas after a year living in Korea. Her little buddy is my sister’s puppy, whom everyone calls Jordan (but I call her Wicket, for what I think are obvious reasons).”- Michelle Schusterman, Matador Network Associate Editor
18. Karen Tiambeng’s dog, Simon. Karen and Simon live in the metro Manila, Phillipines.
19. Colby Sharlin’s dog, Wrigley, curious about her book in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.
20. “Samson is our fiery and passionate little Schnauzer with a FAB sense of adventure with a personality to match. And he speaks German.”-Carrie Walkup of New York, New York.
21. Staci Kuppe’s dog, Benji, who “just likes being happy” in Elmira, New York.
22. Ricky Herman’s dog, Lilo, in Jakarta, Indonesia, “rubbed and shampooed on a sunny day.”
23. “This is The Stella. This is The Stella’s throne. She manages to pretzel herself into 10,500 complicated positions on it. From here she takes in the scene in our study, where Jorge and I are tapping away on our computers. When she wants to go out, she heaves a big, heavy sigh, so heartbreaking that I’m forced to stand up, lace up the ol’ running shoes, and take her out for a spin. When we meet the street kids, who know her by now, she goes through a good fifteen minute session of “shake.” Shake! shout the kids, and she offers up a paw. Shake! Shake! Over and over. That’s my girl.”- Sarah Menkedick, Matador Abroad Co-Editor
24.My dog, Zoey, and husband enjoying Kure Beach, North Carolina. Zoey’s also my writing buddy. Her presence keeps the vibe peaceful and simple, reminding me to breathe, be mindful, take walk breaks, smile. -Author and Matador Network Intern, Nancy Harder
COMMUNITY CONNECTION:
How have pets bettered your life and travels? If you’re traveling or camping with your dog, check out Sascha Matuszak’s 8 Tips for Camping with your Dog and Ian MacKenzie’s Tips for Taking your Dog on the Road.
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29 Comments... join the discussion!
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The goat!! Hahahaha! Awesome job, Nancy.
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Absolutely loved this, Nancy! Really sweet and inspiring. Thanks.
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I know. I loved the goat too. And all the sweet smiling dog and cat faces as well.
I used to have an iguana, but don’t have any photos of him. He was a beautiful green and got to be almost 2 feet long.
Thanks for this, Nancy. Great photo essay!
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They sure know how to strike a pose! Super job putting this together Nancy.
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Awesome! These pictures are awesome and the stories even better.
I can’t wait until I move out and get my dog (mom is strictly against pets in the apartment).
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What a great idea for a photo essay! I loved meeting everyone’s pets!
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I’m in love with them all. Is it really any wonder why I have four?
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I was meaning to ask JoAnna, why does your kitty just have one eye?
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One eye, half an ear and half a tail, all due to frostbite. He was a stray brought into the shelter in the middle of winter, and they amputated all the parts that couldn’t be saved. We adopted him about 8 months later. My husband was working with at-risk teenage girls at the time, and he used to take them to the animal shelter because it was very therapeutic for them to pet and be around the animals. Well, no “normal” person wanted a “broken” cat, but the girls related to him because he was the outcast. When my hubby came home that night, he told me about Toby, and the next day we adopted him ourselves.
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Oh my god! What a trooper. How could you NOT adopt him after a story like that? Poor baby.
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Awwwwww! This is a great photo-essay – I want to hug them all!
It’s amazing how much joy pets bring to our lives…..what a great reminder!
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Adorable shots all around! I’ve got a soft spot for German shepherds and can’t wait to get one once we get enough space.
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Nancy that was a great idea and way of sharing what joy and absolute loyalty our furry friends bring into our lives !!
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Great Job Nancy! Max is honored to be a part of this group. He says he wants to play with the goat.
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I’m impressed with all those pictures of the animals and all of them are cute! Even my dog, Benji! I liked this article.
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Totally uplifting piece! Love the boxer…such a cutie!
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Nancy, you did a fine job on this. Photo Essays are a blast ain’t they?
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I love animals. Best photo essay ever.
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Meanwhile, your kitty buries himself in the snow as camo to jump out and attack unsuspecting squirrels.
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Uh, sorry. That was meant to be a reply to Candice way up there. Great essay and great idea!
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crazy cute! Max leaping through the air is my fav but Jetson in the snow is pretty good too!
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Thank you Joshua! Max is happy to be included with all of the other travel pets. He has kept me amused on our travels across the USA. He’s not much of a cold weather fan, however. I usually jut put him inside of the sleeping bag with me on cold nights. It works for both of us.
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My husband and I aren’t settled enough yet to have a pet, but we pine for a dog every day (Ask Sarah who one time tortured me with pics of Stella!). Thank you for this essay. At least I can imagine what it’s like to have these gorgeous little fuzzballs in the house.
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Thanks everyone for your comments and contributions! Glad you all enjoyed the photo essay. I loved getting to know all of you (or more about you) through your pets.
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Hahahaha yeah, Jetson is a strange guy. I’m the only person in the world who’s allowed to hold him. And even then he’ll probably sink his teeth into my arm. Gosh I love him.
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Stella’s photo had me cracking up!
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What a great photo essay, all the animals are so cute. Pets are such a joy to have around.
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Oh, I wish I had seen the call for submissions. These are incredible! That boxer is too cute.
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