Celebrating National Pets Day on April 11
Happy National Pet Day from us to you! Here at XCVI, our pets keep us grounded, playful, and joyful, so we wanted to take a moment to recognize the many furry friends of XCVI. From bunnies to canines, we’re excited to introduce you to all the four-pawed love we’ve got company-wide! We asked everyone to tell us a little bit about their pets, their backgrounds, and what makes them tick!
Leia and Lazer, Gabby G’s pups.
“Lazer, 5 years, was on his way to a shelter but I took him in. Leia, 4, was rescued as well. Leia
loves to bark at strangers and let them know who’s in charge. She loves treats and play-fighting
with her brother. She acts tough but is a sweet little cuddle buddy who loves to burrow herself in
a blanket and nap next to mommy. Lazer is a people person and loves treats, belly rubs, long
walks, and chasing geese at the pond and squirrels up trees. They mean the world to me and my
family because of their unconditional love. For this gift, I give my all to make sure they are loved
and cared for, living their best long and happy lives.”
“After filling out dozens of applications, we finally got the call that Bryer (a name the rescue gave him) was ours! In the beginning he barked at everything, running out the door at every chance and finding holes in the fence we didn’t know existed. He was very skid-ish, not wanting to be close to us unless given food. It took quite a while with the help of trainer for him to stop barking at everything. I hate to think about what he went through before, but after a couple of years and lots of love, he finally cozies up to us and even sits in our laps! Bryer is now about 3 ½ and loves to play, go on walks and say hi to every dog. He even does a few tricks! We can’t picture life without him! XCVI is a great pet-friendly place. I bring Bryer and he LOVES to run around, inspecting corners, and greeting and checking on everyone all day. He’s also a little too good at letting everyone know when we have deliveries. Fortunately he’s all bark and no bite.”
BunBun, Lauren L’s bunny.
“This 7-year-old bunny may be the run of his litter, but he hops through life like he’s the boss! He loves his personal space, and will tolerate anything for a piece of banana. BunBun is there when life gets stressful…and we love him more than we love most humans!”
Snowball & Jojo, Melissa DLC + family’s kitties.
"We have many stray cats on our street and a few winters ago, my daughter started feeding a beautiful black kitten with a sweet personality. She’d visit each evening, eventually becoming a regular. My granddaughter named her Jo Jo. In March 2019, Jo Jo gave birth to a kitten in our backyard restroom. She stayed there for about a month with her baby, who we named Snowball for her snowy white look. Three months later, Jo Jo left to continue her journey and Snowball became ours. Everyone in our family loves her and the kids can’t get enough of her. She’s part of our family. Snowball isn’t an indoor cat and we’ve never restricted her freedom, but she knows where she’s loved and where her home is.”
Lucy, Maria M’s pup.
“Lucy comes to the office with me every day and is basically the Sherman oaks mascot. Her favorite pastimes are naps in the sun, barking at the neighbors and snuggling in her multiple blankets. Sometimes when she gets real into her barking, she hops. Her favorite food is chimkins (chicken) and one of her tricks is what we call “prairie dog” (see photo). She is an old soul at only 6 years old and dislikes excitement, sneezing and car rides. Lucy is very loving and friendly & will accept a hug from anyone she meets.”
Sachi & Mushi, Lisa S’s pups.
“I rescued Sachi from a small balcony on which she was kept 16+ hrs a day. When I brought her home, she was about 11 months, and it was clear that she hadn’t been treated right or socialized. When I would reach out to pet her she would run away. It took about a month to get her to stop being scared. Now she is 11 years old and a big cuddle bug. Mushi, aka Indie, was found lost on the streets at about 11 months and ended up in the shelter. No one came to claim this adorable little girl, and I was lucky enough to be able to adopt her. She is a little sweetie, and loves laying in the sun for hours. She also loves to just sit around the backyard and observe everything around her. Her favorite sleeping spot is under the blankets, cuddling next to me. She got her nickname Mushi because as a puppy she resembled a little mushroom when she was sitting.”
Kitty, Elsa G. + family's bunny.
“Yes…our rabbit is named Kitty. Sadly, it’s difficult for me to have a cat, which is what we always wanted, but because of my allergies we can’t. We were able to rescue this rabbit from a family that couldn’t keep her (and frankly weren’t treating her right either) and we’ve had her for about 7 years now. She loves cilantro like crazy. She goes ham whenever we give her some. When she hasn’t seen someone for a while, she runs circles around you for a good while huffing happily while doing so. She got sick last year and I had to take her to a pet hospital in Long Beach and my mom was crazy worried about her, so Kitty really means a lot to us. Shout out to Long Beach Animal Hospital!”
Lilith (Peepa) and Vincent (Borpo), Eden B. + fam’s kitties.
“My partner, Kelly, adopted Vincent in college. She saw his photo, dreamt about him, and then the next day was able to pick him out in a room of fifty black cats. When we moved in together, we were looking for a female kitten to adopt and finally Lilith from the NYC subway came along. She very quickly became known as Peepa, because, well, she’s Peepa. The two are yin and yang. Vince is strong, regal, and calm. Peepa is a pillsbury dough gal with innumerable strange habits and an obsession with butt scratches and for some reason, warm bread and carbohydrates only. These two are my life and I now totally understand how people become ‘cat ladies.’ P.S., as I write this, Peepa has knocked over a box of fig newtons trying to get a bite.”
These two are office regulars. Alon's family adopted Loki, a pitbull mix, about 7 years ago. She was a tiny 3 month old kitten when she was rescued. Hedwig, a white shepherd mix, joined the family 6 years ago. He was a stray 1 year old, roaming the streets near our old headquarters in Downtown. They are sweet and kind, and get along fabulously.