Who Said Valentine's Day is Exclusive to Humans?

Fiona Breeswine knows a little about love this —and has been in love since November.

Fiona is also man's best friend. (Well, in this case, woman's best friend). Ann Breeswine, who lives and works in Nyack, adopted Fiona—who was then known as Cookie—from Hi Tor Animal Care Center in November, and Fiona has been running the show and giving out love ever since. Fiona, who is about one-year-old, meets and greets her playmates and their owners with a certain joie de vivre.

"She goes right up to people and greets them, like she is saying 'hello, nice to see you,'" Breeswine said. "And then she licks them."

Fiona has already made a pack of friends at the dog park off Elizabeth Place and South Broadway in Nyack.

"She gives out so much love, almost too much," Breeswine explained. "From day one she was such a loving dog. My chocolate lab passed away in April and Margot [her wirehaired pointing griffin] was left alone. So we went to Hi Tor and adopted Fiona."

Hi Tor gives and receives love every day. For 37 years they have been caring for over 2,500 animals annually. Rockland County's only animal shelter, Hi Tor has been in the "cupid" business when it comes to pets for a long time. A great deal of love is given to the inhabitants at Hi Tor, and many families have received love from adopted pets.

For Valentine's Day, Hi Tor is sponsoring a "Have a Heart" program: for $10 you can buy a heart and write your name or your pet’s name on it, and it will be hanged up at the Center.

"Facebook has been very helpful to Hi-Tor—we have over 1200 fans," explained Wendy Himes, the Volunteer Outreach Coordinator. "It has become a little like Match.com for the rescue animal world."

Lisa Snyder—owner of Dog Day Afternoon and a dog exerciser who also lives in Nyack—believes that not only can an owner completely fall head over heels for their pet, but the pets themselves can fall in love with each other and cannot be separated.

"At just three months old, my beautiful soul dog Bea was rescued from a dumpster in Newark," Snyder said. "She is just turning four-years-old now; I found her online and fell in love immediately."

But Snyder is not the only love in Bea’s life it turns out.

"Her friend and much older man is Mojo, who is a Katrina rescue from Dapper Dog in Nyack," Snyder continued. "Mojo gets depressed if he goes a day without seeing Bea."

Mojo and Bea’s owners go into each other’s homes to pick up their dogs' significant other at anytime. "I might get a note that says ‘Bea is cross country skiing’ when I arrive home one day.

If you already have a canine love in your life, you may want to call Lisa Snyder to give them a good run up Hook Mountain.  If you are petless and cannot spring to take a human to dinner, find unconditional love and kisses this Valentine's Day at Hi Tor Animal Care Center or visit Gerry at Dapper Dog in Nyack.

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• Hi Tor Animal Care Center: 65 Fireman’s Memorial Drive, Pomona (845) 354-7900
• Dapper Dog Grooming and Rescue: Gerry 84 N. Highland, Nyack (845) 353-3599
• Dog Day Afternoon: Lisa Snyder (845) 480-5213 leeinnyack@verizon.net