When Jon Mancinetti set out on an “epic road trip” with his dog Smokey, he planned to visit several cities across the country and document dogs in the shelters that needed homes.
He wanted to film the dogs and showcase them on his platforms to encourage people to adopt, but he ended up doing so much more than that: He ended up saving a life.
While visiting a shelter in Memphis, Tennesse, Jon was overwhelmed with meeting so many dogs.
It was when he was about to leave the shelter that a volunteer mentioned a dog he hadn’t seen yet, one that was scheduled to be euthanized that same day.
Of course, Jon didn’t want to leave without meeting the dog, Mosey, and the sweet pup quickly won a place in Jon’s heart. Despite being skinny and sickly looking, the pitbull was full of love and life. It seemed he just wanted attention and a place to call home, but Jon knew that no one was coming to save him.
Speaking with The Dodo, Jon said: “No one was going to come into the shelter and adopt him just because of the way he looked, but I knew there was a beautiful dog underneath all that.”
After Jon left the shelter, he planned on continuing his road trip with Smokey, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Mosey. Then, he got a crazy idea: He could foster Mosey and bring him along on the road trip!
And, that’s exactly what he did.
Mosey became their new road trip companion and went with Jon and Smokey to cities across the country. He won the hearts of people all over, but there was one family, in particular, that took a liking to the sweet dog. In the end, Mosey found the perfect family and a place to call home, all thanks to Jon.
We could all use a second chance every now and again, and Mosey’s second chance provided him with a whole new opportunity to live.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
