It’s hard to ignore a woman standing in front of Alamo Safeway wearing cat makeup.
When I spotted the woman with black whiskers and feline eyes at the entrance to Safeway on Sunday I had to learn more. She was accompanied by Bear, a big Chow mix, who calmly let people admire and pet him – and stick dollar bills under his collar.
The woman’s name is Leonora Bron, and she and Bear were collecting for BIFF & BARK, a nonprofit tax-deductible organization that rescues homeless animals. Leonora is a licensed clinical social worker and had an office in Walnut Creek for many years. She still has some clients and specializes in dream analysis. But her time is largely devoted to BIFF & BARK, which stand for Bethel Island for Furry Friends and Brentwood Animal Rescue.
One focus of the group is getting medical attention for the rescued cats and dogs. On Sunday, Leonora was asking specifically for dollars to go toward a $3,500 spinal operation for Buddy, a black Lab, and money to pay for a corneal transplant just done on a cat named Leo. Both Buddy and Leo had been abandoned and saved by B&B volunteers.
But what about the whiskers? Leonora explained that when “Cats” was playing in San Francisco, her volunteers had set up a table in front to ask for donations.
“We did so badly in the rain and the dark that three cast members came out to talk to us,” she recalled. “They said, ‘You need to market yourselves better.’ They taught us how to do the makeup – and gave us makeup.” Now it’s their trademark.
Rescuing frightened, abandoned animals is not easy. Volunteers might have to wait many hours, often in inclement weather, to be able to help them. The animals are first brought to the veterinarian to be checked out for injuries, get vaccinated and be neutered or spayed. Then BIFF & BARK makes sure they never suffer the trauma of homelessness again.
Leonora said they have rescued some wonderful dogs and cats that need homes. This group is different from others in that volunteers personally take each pet to its prospective new home. This allows them to check it out. If there is a reason they choose not to leave the animal, they let the would-be adopters know what it is.
“I’m a psycho-analyst,” said Leonora. “I’m used to being truthful and candid. I don’t know deceit. The animals trust me.” They trust her to find them a home where they will be protected and happy the rest of their lives, she explained.
She also said hers is the only group that finds homes for the pets of the elderly who can no longer care for their beloved friends or who want to place their pets before they go into a nursing home. One said she couldn’t handle the cat litter anymore, said Leonora. Another said she lived in fear that she would trip over her little dog. “We’re the only ones who’ve shown compassion for their problem,” said Leonora.
She had set up a table of delightful tote bags decorated with cats and dogs to be traded for donations. She also had a case of Doggles, which protect dogs’ eyes from the sun’s harmful rays as well as from wind and debris. Indeed, Bear looked quite the sport in his pair. They come in five sizes, from XS (1-10 pounds) to XL (90-plus pounds). Leonora said the ophthalmology vet who did the corneal transplant on Leo insisted that Bear wear Doggles since he goes to outdoor shows with her. Every time she puts on her sunglasses, she puts on Bear’s Doggles.
While we were visiting, along came Patty Young and they greeted each other warmly. Patty, a Danville resident, said she has been seeing Leonora at street fairs for several years. She manned the table once so Leonora could take a break and enjoyed it, especially the kids who wanted to put dollar bills under Bear’s collar.
To talk to Leonora, call 684-2345. Donations may be sent to BIFF & BARK, P.O. Box 1916, Bethel Island, CA 94511. But it’s more fun to put a donation under Bear’s collar.
