Mickey, the pooch behind the Laurie Meadows dog park, dies at 14

Mickey, the Jack Russell-Chihuahua mix who inspired the dog run at Laurie Meadows Park in San Mateo, died May 20 of cancer. He was 14.

Soon after adopting Mickey in 2011, Mickey’s human mom, Mandy, collected signatures and petitioned the City of San Mateo to build a dog run in Laurie Meadows Park, a half-mile from their home. The city agreed to fence off a section of the lawn area, and the dog park was completed a few years later. The park has fostered a community where human and canine neighbors gather daily.

Mickey’s early years were difficult. He was born in the upper Peninsula around January 2010 and adopted into a family as a 3-month-old puppy. When the family moved, they could no longer keep a dog, and they surrendered him to the Peninsula Humane Society when he was a year old.

After spending several months in the shelter without finding a new family, Mickey was enrolled in the TAILS (Transitioning Animals into Loving Situations) program at the San Mateo County Jail. There Mickey studied fetch, roll over and stay. After his graduation ceremony in October 2011, where he performed a dance on his hind paws, Mickey moved into his permanent home.

For over a decade, Mickey diligently performed his self-appointed job of protecting the house from invasion. Thanks to his fierce bark, not once did a mailman, pizza deliverer or UPS driver breach the confines of the home.

Mickey was fond of road trips and traveled with his family throughout the West. He made many excursions to Santa Barbara to visit his human brother, and rode as far as San Diego; Littleton, Colorado; and Bainbridge Island, Washington. On Bainbridge Island, Mickey escaped the house he was visiting and ran down the road after his parents — fortunately, a driver rescued him, likely saving his life.

Mandy and Mickey took many long hikes together — in the hills of San Mateo, on the beach in Half Moon Bay, and in mountains and deserts where they traveled. Mickey stayed close even off-leash, only occasionally disappearing to chase a squirrel or bird.

In his later years, Mickey met the love of his life, Honey, a fluffy Cavapoo. The two of them took romantic walks together around the neighborhood, shared treats at each other’s homes and went on a memorable date to a dog surfing competition in Pacifica.

Mickey was a three-time cancer survivor: When he was only 5, he had a mast cell tumor removed from his stomach. Eighteen months later, another tumor was found in his armpit. His parents chose not to remove it, and it never grew.

When he was 14, cancer found Mickey again, this time with a bleeding tumor on his kidney. The veterinarian predicted he had only days, but Mickey survived over a month. During that time, he continued enjoying his walks, playing with his many toys, spending time with Honey, making a final visit to his much-loved beach and eating as much people food as he liked.

Mickey is survived by his human parents, Mandy and Mark; his human brother and sister-in-law, Alex and Marlene; his fiancée, Honey; and many other dog and human relatives and friends.
-Mandy E. and Mark M.