Re-Issue: Selfless Protector w/ Meredith May

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Preface

We are re-issuing our interview with Meredith May – book author and former San Francisco Chronicle journalist – as the most popular episode of Dog Save The People during 2022. Given that the past years with the pandemic have had us all adjust our lives in unexpected ways, it's no surprise that many people found Meredith's story to be relatable. To be forced to slow down, whether by a global event or just by your dog, is something we can embrace and not run from. To put others first, whether it be for their health and safety or because your dog needs you, that capacity is within us even if we didn't have the strongest role models for it at an early age. Meredith and her dog Edie's bond is a touching example of how much we can expand ourselves and our lives if we're open to the changes around us.

Learning To Slow Down, And Put Someone Else First

About The Episode

After her parents divorced when she was just a kid, Meredith May was essentially raised by her grandparents. Along with her brother, they would marvel at their grandfather's beekeeping work. He worked with hundreds of hives around Big Sur, and taught them about how the bees worked together for the greater good, acted like a family, and more lessons that started what would be a lifelong bond with animals.

That love for animals translated into dogs during adulthood. Meredith had a fondness for them already, but in adulthood when she adopted a golden retriever who had been abandoned in a divorce like her, there was no turning back – on dogs, or golden retrievers in particular. She would go on to have a few different golden's (Stella and Layla) who were perfectly obedient and joyful dogs, especially around crowds of people and other dogs encountered in during busy lifestyle in Sn Francisco.

When Meredith met her wife, Jenn, it took a while to convince her to get a new puppy. Jenn was a busy police lieutenant, and didn't have the best experiences with dogs as a kid. Eventually, they did get a golden together: Edie. However, things didn't turn out to be quite the same as with Meredith's previous dogs.

Right away, they noticed Edie was a scared, nervous, and anti-social dog. Meredith's initial reaction was being scared and frustrated. She assumed something was wrong, and this was not the dog she thought she'd be getting. With some extra help, though, Meredith figured that would catch Edie back up to speed and be "normal" like the other dogs. She thought she was doing something wrong, too.

It only got worse and they were debating if Edie was the right dog to have. A specialist told them that this dog has special needs and you have to be very considerate and sensitive with where you take her and what you do together. They also kept being told that Edie would probably have a better time out in the quieter country area than in a big city.

The discussion of moving, which had already been underway between Meredith and Jenn, was fast-tracked. They found a place in the California mountains and moved there, 1800 feet up in a more isolated community. It turned out to be a great decision for Edie, who was able to find her stride in a quieter and more peaceful environment.

However, the move and overall change in lifestyle didn't only benefit Edie herself. Meredith found this slower pace of life, which she'd always found elusive, to be enriching for her as well.

In this new setting, Meredith also learned many lessons from Edie in taking care of her special needs. Meredith needed to mature and put someone else's needs before her own. Now, as the person responsible for comforting Edie when she has a panic attack, Meredith has found a deep and maternal bond that she never had with her other dogs. Her past goldens were model dogs, but the struggle and effort of accommodating Edie ultimately led to personal growth from Meredith. She happily realized that despite not growing up with parents alongside her, she had strong, loving parenting instincts inside herself.

About The Guest - Meredith May

Meredith May is a book author and former longtime journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle, where she was shortlisted for Pulitzer Prize. Her books include I, Who Did Not Die (2017) and her memoir The Honey Bus (2019). Her latest, Loving Edie: How a Dog Afraid of Everything Taught Me to be Brave (2022), details her experience and lessons learned from an extremely anxious and sensitive canine companion. Meredith is also a fifth-generation beekeeper and volunteers for the Monterey Bay Aquarium as a scuba diver.

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