She is an animal’s best friend and advocate Ragdoll cats, Chihuahuas, even chinchillas have a friend at Rockport Pet Gallery It may be unfair but some are just more appealing than others; the fluffiest bunny, the sweetest kitten. But what happens to the poor little critter that is never chosen? It’s rarely a problem, Rockport Pet Gallery owner Dottie Anderson said. She tries to find a loving home for every pet or the animal stays with her for its lifetime. “They usually wind up being our favorites,” Anderson said. Anderson, who has run her shop in West Milford’s Bearfort Shopping Park for over 20 years, has been an animal lover since childhood. As a youngster she persuaded her parents to allow her to keep a whole barnyard of animals. She enjoyed grooming and training them and as she got older she became involved with the 4-H Club, eventually teaching for the organization. The 53-year-old Warwick resident now has two acres to fill with animals, and she has done just that. Goats, sheep, geese, chickens and ducks abound. She also breeds pets for her store, including Chihuahuas and rag doll cats. “Rag doll cats are like having a dog. They are big and floppy when you hold them, just a big mushy cat,” she said. One trip to the shop proved Anderson’s point. After this writer got over the embarrassment of answering and looking around the store to find who was talking to her (it was a parrot) a contingent of rag dolls came over to say hello. With just a few scratches around the ears, one blue-eyed beauty was on its back waiting for a belly rub. Anderson learned her trade with hands-on experience and working in pet stores. Prior to opening her store in West Milford she owned a pet shop in Pompton Plains. Married and the mother of two adult sons, she puts in her hours running the shop. She takes the time to counsel prospective buyers on what type of pet would best suit them and what’s in store for them as a pet owner. She has been known to take back a pet when the situation did not work out and tries to find the animal another home so it will not wind up in a shelter. The store offers all types of grooming services and a wide variety of food, toys, cages - everything you’d need as a pet owner. There are tanks with fish, reptiles, snakes and rodents. There is a noisy room full of colorful, exotic birds Then there are the furry pets; rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, ferrets and chinchillas. Anderson described the chinchilla as looking like a cross between a squirrel and a rabbit. They make good pets; they are quiet and clean and usually live to a ripe old age. Always concerned with animal welfare, she occasionally runs an adoption day at the store, looking for homes for rescued animals. She is more content with breeding some of her own animals, allowing her to know their backgrounds. “I feel like I bred them and I am responsible for them,” she said. When asked how many animals she currently has at home, her store manager, Jenn Levis, was heard to say “You know that song, The Twelve Days of Christmas? Start with the twelfth day and count backwards.” Anderson’s time off is spent with her dogs in performance competitions and traveling to dog shows. She also enjoys her time in the kitchen but finds it hard to cut down on the amount she cooks, a problem many moms encounter when their children are grown. She submitted a quick and easy recipe. Pepperoni Bread 1 can or bag of pizza dough 1/2 lb. slicing pepperoni 1/2 lb. cheddar cheese slices, white or yellow Roll out dough into a rectangle Layer one row of pepperoni, one row of cheese until dough is filled Fold dough over to make a log, pinch edges closed Put on baking sheet Preheat oven to 375 degrees Bake for 20-28 minutes until golden brown Let rest for 5 minutes, slice and serve Can also be made with salami and cheese, sausage and ricotta, use your imagination.