As you know, I only take portraits of people I like, love, or respect. Harold Snell is one of them. I asked him if he would sit still for a portrait of himself with his rescued dog Mia, and he said sure, he would be happy to do it.

Mia

Harold Snell is a big man who drives a huge truck. He has a small black dog, a Corgi named Mia, alongside him, riding shotgun. She lies on a soft blanket. There is always water and some treats handy, and I love the way she and Harold love one another. I’ve learned that many prominent and powerful men in trucks I know around here have companion dogs who ride along with them and wait patiently while they work. We had a stove cleaner, a giant from New York City come to the house for several years to clean our stove. One day I found him sobbing on the floor. His dog had just died.

It sometimes allows these men to show their deep emotions and feelings, which they are rarely taught to share, even with their families.

Harold’s passion, aside from his work, is rescuing dogs in need of help. His family shares this desire.

Snell and his family are deeply involved in animal rescue. The worse the dog’s condition, the quicker they are to adopt it and work as long as it takes to heal and love it. I’ve seen a dozen rescue dogs with Harold Snell and his sons come to our house.

They are loved, well cared for, and devoted to their humans, as grateful rescue dogs often are.

“Mia is the dog I always want with me,” he said.

Mia was born without functioning hips. She was owned by an Amish family (not my neighbors), and since the Amish don’t generally believe in going to vets,  the family adopted her seven or eight years ago. She’s had some surgery, but her legs and hips are still impaired; she can’t run around like most dogs do.

Seeing the two together is a heartlifter.  Harold, who does general contracting, sewer, and septic work, is crazy about Mia, and she returns the favor. She’s a sweet dog and loves her comfy blanket and pillow set up for her in the truck. She is always quiet when he works, and our dogs have always been calm and generous when a Snell dog shows up.

The first time I met Harold, he had five corgis in the front seat of his truck, and all of them loved riding around with him. Coda, his main companion for years, died last December, and Mia succeeded him.

I’ve helped the family find homes for one of the two seemingly unadoptable dogs they’ve saved, and the dogs are all thriving.

Mia has a back story that can get a dog lover misty.

 

The Snell family is committed to rescuing dogs, mostly corgis but also border collies. “I do get bit once in a while,” Harold said, “but I don’t mind. The dogs don’t mean any harm; they’ve just been mistreated or scared to death.”

My grandmother would have called Harold a “mensch”—someone who is honest, responsible, and eager to do good. This description fits Harold well.