Survivor puppy gets job in bookstore

If you go to Central Book Exchange in Salt Lake City, be sure to ask to speak to the manager. She’s friendly, energetic, and will probably give you kisses. That’s right: Manager Sylvia is a puppy, adopted from the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center right next door.

“She’s never met anything with a heartbeat that she doesn’t like,” says Calvin Asch, Sylvia’s adopter and owner of Central Book Exchange.

Watching Sylvia greet customers and play fetch down the aisles, she looks so full of life. You’d never know that not long ago, she was fighting a potentially deadly virus.

Sylvia’s story begins when the little black-and-white pup came to Best Friends in Salt Lake City from a shelter at just 6 weeks old. “When she arrived, she was a bouncy, happy puppy,” says Best Friends veterinarian Dr. Megan McCarthy.

Sylvia went to a foster home that evening, but three days later, she returned after her foster caregiver noticed she didn’t appear to be feeling well. Tests revealed that she had canine parvovirus, a highly contagious virus that attacks the gastrointestinal system. “It can unfortunately be a fatal disease if it’s not aggressively treated,” says Dr. Megan.

Puppy sisters shine after beating parvo, distemper

For Best Friends, it’s not only about a single puppy like Sylvia. Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters to reach no-kill, and that means giving each pet what they need to move out of the shelter and into a happy life. For Sylvia, that meant round-the-clock monitoring and treatment from veterinary professionals.

“She was probably one of our more severe cases,” says Dr. Megan.

Little by little, Sylvia began feeling better. About a week later, she was well enough to return to her foster home. Soon, she was officially cleared of parvovirus and ready to turn the page.

As Sylvia was recovering, Calvin and his family were starting a new chapter of their own. They had recently lost their beloved dog, Misty, who had also spent her days helping out at Central Book Exchange.

Then Calvin met Sylvia at the pet adoption center.

“She was just an angel,” he says. “She knows how to make best friends right away, and her charm worked on me.”

When a tiny puppy needs big help

After being adopted, Sylvia’s world expanded tenfold. There were humans to snuggle and toys to conquer. She also gained a big canine buddy named Eva, who graciously let her win at tug-of-war.

But an even bigger adventure awaited: It was time for Sylvia to go to work.

After settling in at home, Sylvia now spends her days at Central Book Exchange alongside Calvin.

“She’s super cuddly. She’s extremely loyal. She’s right next to me all day, and she’s smart,” says Calvin.

Sylvia’s job description is extensive. She supervises book restocking, hangs out by the cash register, and makes it her personal mission to turn every customer into a friend. (Her wagging tail tends to help.)

“Having a dog who grows up in the store and is used to everyone — if it puts a smile on their face while they’re coming in for their favorite escape — I think that makes for a pretty good experience,” says Calvin.

Sylvia agrees. After getting her fairy tale happily-ever-after, this bookstore dog’s daily life is a true choose-your-own-adventure.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.