The Vegas Voice 3-21

The Greatest “Con-Dog”
By: Rana Goodman / On My Soapbox
Nine years ago, when my daughter Michelle was
visiting family in North Carolina she emailed
me a picture of two adorable puppies with a note that
said, “Want one?” Now I ask you, what animal lover could resist that?
Michelle arrived home with the puppy, a Golden Doodle as a birthday
gift for me. I had just lost my beloved Zeus, a Labrador I had for 15 years,
so the puppy, along with my little rescue, Muffin filled a big gap. I named
her Daisy.
A friend told me that she had trained her Lab to ring a string of brass bells
that was tied to the patio door when the dog needed to go out. I thought
that was brilliant.
Well, Daisy didn’t go for the bells on the door, so I taught her to tap the
glass with her paw to let me know that she wanted to go into the yard. Part
of her training was to reward her with a treat after she did her thing and
returned to the house.
My two pups totally bonded and little Muffin took charge as Daisy’s mom,
although, as Daisy grew, and her golden fur turned white they looked more
like a giant and her tiny look-alike.
At first, as soon as both dogs returned to the house after their backyard
romp they would sit down at the spot in the kitchen where the treat box was
kept, but over the last year I noticed that Daisy was requesting to go out
more and more often.
I began watching her when she went outside and low and behold, she
just did an instant “about face” and walked back inside, heading straight
for the treat jar. I began asking her, as soon as she rapped at the door
signaling me to let her out, “do you really want out or are you conning
me?”
She just looks at me with those big brown eyes as if to say: “what do you
think?” Thank goodness Costco is close by when we need to refill our treat
supply!
A Guardianship Hero
By: Rana Goodman / Dan Roberts
Last month we received the sad news that our
friend, Rudy North, who fought so hard
along with his wife Renee to regain their freedom
from private guardian April Parks passed away.
It was their daughter Julie Belshe who approached
Rana to discuss her parents’ unbelievable story of
being legally abducted from their home. And when
we met with Julie, she urged us to meet with her
parents to see for ourselves.
Despite Dan’s overwhelming skepticism, we met.
Rudy’s gentle nature and kindness hid his fierce
passion to get their story out and to alert the senior
community that “if it could happen to them, it
could happen to anybody.”
It was their tale that provided the spark to uncover the guardianship
scandal in Nevada. Rudy, Renee and Julie’s non-stop fight for justice
20
March 2021
was featured in the award-winning film The
Guardians. And that’s Rudy’s face on the movie
poster.
April Parks succeeded in taking everything from
Rudy & Renee except their spirit. We’re certain that
no one who met them, nor people who saw the film
will ever forget them.
Daughter Julie Belshe worked tirelessly with us
(along with our other great friend, Sandy Lewis)
to achieve reform guardianship legislation. Our
collective efforts paid off - we witnessed April Parks
being placed in cuffs and now behind bars for her
actions towards Rudy…as well as countless other
innocent seniors whose only crime was growing old.
Rest in peace Rudy. Neither you nor
Renee will ever be forgotten by all of us who had the
pleasure of knowing you.