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Special Advertising Section | Sunday, April 27, 20257Jason Momoa carries himself like the emperor of Snohomish County.He is just over knee-high, but built like a bulldozer upholstered in fur. What he lacks in verticality, he makes up for in self-possessed confidence.Like his human namesake, his indifferent swagger seems to say, %u201cJudge me if you must, but first things first: Do you love me?%u201dJason Momoa is a 2-year-old Akita-Chow Chow mix. He%u2019s a canine teenager, aloof and stoic, with an independence streak a mile wide %u2014 typical of his breed. Before he found safe haven with Motley Zoo Animal Rescue, he was found as a puppy wandering on U.S. Route 2.Motley Zoo is a foster-based animal rescue %u2014 a rehab center and last resort for animals that might otherwise be euthanized at a shelter. The organization has rescued more than 5,000 animals since its inception in 2009, according to executive director Jme Thomas.The core mission here is to give dogs a second chance by making them adoptable, which entails comprehensive veterinary care with spaying/neutering, plus a period of training and socialization by animal care director Pate MacDonald and her husband, lead trainer Garry MacDonald.Jason Momoa has been in the care of the rescue for most of his life, and is available to adopt, but only when the right person comes along. It%u2019s a common practice in animal rescues, and an inviolate core value at Motley Zoo: It%u2019s not just a matter of the animal being right for the person. The chief concern is whether the person is right for the animal.The right person to adopt Jason would be someone with experience owning a %u201cpower breed%u201d and who has no small children, smaller dogs or other male dogs in the home.That person, when they appear, would also come to understand that there%u2019s more to Jason than just his brawny bravado. He also has a cuddly side, and because he takes care of his toys, he%u2019s the only one at Motley Zoo allowed to sleep with a teddy bear.Robbers, a female blend of Siberian husky, malamute and German shepherd, was abandoned at a California high-kill shelter with the rest of her family when she was just 2 weeks old. Her situation there was perilous because crowded California shelters sometimes euthanize entire dog families, according to Motley Zoo animal care director Pate MacDonald.Five years later, %u201cRob%u201d is a Motley Zoo training assistant who mentors younger dogs, guiding the shy ones and correcting the ones with behavioral issues. Since %u201calpha%u201d has fallen out of favor, Thomas calls her the %u201cbig mama in charge.%u201dInside the enormous training tent, Rob sits motionless at the feet of lead trainer Garry MacDonald, casting a serene gray gaze over all she sees. Here on the AstroTurf is where canine training and socialization happen, and where Robbers demonstrates the confidence and calm of a role model.The perimeter is lined with a vacuum cleaner, wheelchair, skateboard, bicycle, and wading pool full of empty water bottles %u2014 everyday objects used to acclimate the dogs to life with humans, so the dogs won%u2019t be confused when they encounter them in the larger world.%u201cWhat I do is help dogs with poor social skills become more confident and appropriate around other dogs and people,%u201d Garry MacDonald says. The animal care director, Pate MacDonald, holds beagle-pit bull mix Tito%u2019s Handmade Vodka.Trainer Garry MacDonald interacts with Jason Momoa, an Akita-Chow Chow mix. Continued on page 8