Cuteness

Cuteness McCasland 2007-2019 Cuteness was an extraordinary dog who lived an extraordinary life. Born in the dusty border town of Busia, Kenya, she would go on to warm hearts in three countries. Hers was a life of love, friendship, loyalty, and affection. As a young puppy, Cute appeared unaccompanied by dog or human family at the offices of her mom, Jamie, and first adoring aunties, Anne, Katie, and Topista, seeming to fall out of the heavens and into their arms. It was love at first sight. By day's end she had been adopted into a litter of seven puppies by adoptive dog mom, Shakira, who lovingly suckled Cutie for months along with her (hilariously smaller) adopted dog siblings, Beth, Cammie, Carl, Jimmy, Kathy, Mwisho, and Senator Barack Obama. Her next big move brought her to California in 2009, where she would be welcomed by grandparents, Beth and Carl. A theme in her life, she was soon adored by all and renowned for her empathy, heart-melting cuddles, and lifelong predilection for holding hands/paws. In Paso Robles, Cuteness found her professional calling greeting and hosting patrons and chosen family at the Penman Springs Vineyard tasting room, where she was an omnipresent source of joy and the subject of much mythmaking. Given her regal stature and poise, we all decided she must be a descendant of the pharaoh dogs of Egypt, traveled down the Nile through the generations to her birthplace in East Africa. She loved trots through the vineyard, snacks, tussles with her brother Spooky, and most especially cuddling. She also spent a year in Vancouver, British Columbia. Ever the free spirit, she refused a leash even in the city, preferring to roam the seawall unencumbered, and learning to wait for the light to change to cross the street. She was an immigrant, as her dear friend Rosie often said, "living the American Dream", but Cutie was apolitical. She loved generously, regardless of age, background, and species. Cuteness died at home in Paso Robles, under the big oak tree and in the arms of her mom. She is preceded in death by her adoptive dog mom, Shakira, of Nairobi, Kenya and survived by her grandparents Carl and Beth, mom Jamie, brother Spooky, aunt Sarah, cousin Ozzie, and many adoring Pen Pals of Penman Springs Vineyard.