![]() “It was a whole culture shock for us,” says Minassian. Finding an Air B&B was a challenge and they had to regularly confirm with ride-share drivers that bringing a dog on board was okay, she says. She recalls restaurants with outdoor seating weren’t pleased with the little pooch hanging around. “They were not really on board with emotional support animals.”Īt the time of the trip with Lucy, Minassian says the places she visited in Armenia weren’t particularly dog-friendly either. Not a good idea,” she says of the Russian airline. Minassian laughs when she thinks back on the Armenian trip. ![]() “I have a whole series that I want to do on that,” she says. She’s traveled with them to Las Vegas and even on a trip to Armenia in 2019, which might be the subject of future books that Minassian plans to write. She responds to commands in English and Armenian, the language Minassian’s parents use with her. She had never touched a dog in her life.” “She just scooped Lucy up and was in love with her,” says Minassian. Minassian recalls her mom’s reaction when the folks at the rescue first brought Lucy to stay with the family for a trial period. “My mom was really scared of dogs,” she says.īut it was Minassian’s mother who picked out Lucy from the Southern California Pomeranian Rescue. Her family is from Iran - Minassian was born there as well - where having a dog as a pet isn’t as common as it is in the U.S. “I told my parents, When I move back we’re getting a dog,” recalls Minassian, who had never had a dog before Lucy. Two years before the trip to The Gentle Barn, Minassian had just returned to Southern California from graduate school at San Francisco State. … It’s a wonderful way for people to experience The Gentle Barn through the eyes of an adorable puppy named Lucy. ![]() “I love that Lucy gets to come to The Gentle Barn and meet new friends from tiny chickens, goats with golden eyes, pigs rolling over for belly rubs, giant cows, and even large horses. Some cry, some connect to animals, some feel part of a greater animal-loving community, and some are brought to tears,” says Laks via email. ![]() “At The Gentle Barn, we have guests from all over the world, young and old. “I reached out to the Gentle Barn and they were OK with it.”Įllie Laks, founder of The Gentle Barn, is a fan of the book - and Lucy. “She had a good time I wanted to start there,” says Minassian. She befriends a cow who shares her name and smooches a horse - and Minassian shows me a photo of the moment when the dog and horse did so in real life. In Lucy Goes to the Gentle Barn, with illustrations by Agavny Vardanyan, the small dog learns to be brave when encountering much larger animals. Minassian visited the animal sanctuary with her father and Lucy back in 2017. “So, I started thinking of all these ideas that I could write about her.”Īt The Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, humans and animals connect through activities like cow hug therapy and horse grooming. For example, she notes, Lucy is not a fan of visits to the veterinarian, a situation that might be similar to how children feel about doctor’s appointments. “I just started thinking about how much she has in common with kids and their experiences, especially young kids,” Minassian says. One of those adventures inspired Minassian to write her first children’s book, Lucy Goes to the Gentle Barn. Since then, Minassian and Lucy have been on plenty of adventures together, meeting new people and animals in the process. In 2015, this rescued puppy charmed Minassian and her family. Lucy’s human, Tenny Minassian, tells me later outside, “She just loves going out and meeting people and seeing other dogs.” Sure enough, Lucy has spent much of this interview greeting passersby, both human and canine. We’ve never met before, but the 8-year-old poodle mix is incredibly friendly. (Orange County Register) - Inside Burbank’s Republik Coffee, Lucy jumps on her hind legs as if she’s about to greet me with a hug.
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