LIBRARY EXHIBIT TO ILLUSTRATE EFFECTS OF PANDEMIC

San Diego residents are asked to submit photos by June 30

Empty store shelves, restaurant signs for takeout only, remote meetings and long lines for food distributions.

Those likely may be some of the images people will remember about the pandemic, and the San Diego Public Library has plans to collect those memories from local residents in an upcoming exhibit called “Snapshot: A Photo Journal of Life During the Pandemic.”

The photos can show the practical side of life, such as social distancing, telecommuting or remote learning, or they may be images that capture strength, humor and hope experienced over the last year, according to the announcement from the library.

Submissions are limited to 10 images per person, and the deadline is June 30. Each submission should include a description of up to 200 words with the photo.

Information on how to submit photos can be found on the library’s Snapshot webpage, www.sandiego.gov/public-library/snapshot.

Photos also can be mailed to: SDPL Special Collections, Attention: Snapshot, 330 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA, 92101.

The photographs will be part of the library’s Special Collections Department’s photograph and digital archive collections and may be displayed on San Diego Public Library’s website.

“Historically, how are you going to look back on this time?” a message on the Snapshot page reads. “How will you remember it?”

The library’s announcement also states the exhibit will provide future genera

autism. The dogs provide emotional support and companionship, along with physical support to help them function and reclaim their lives.

During two years of training under Veta’s supervision, the dogs learn to instinctively react to emotional and physical needs and respond to as many as 70 commands.

In the first year puppies are placed with community volunteers, who help train them in basic commands typical for pets. During the second year they are placed with inmates, who are paid a small sum to help train them to service dog levels.

Although the intensive training used by inmates requires much patience and dedication, Veta said nearly all inmates succeed. “These inmates have been in prison a long time — many are doing life. This is a rare opportunity to do something for someone outside the wall.”

“At training graduation ceremonies, the inmates talk about the dogs they’ve been training. The recipients talk about what having a dog means to them. After the dogs are handed over, there is a reception where the inmates and recipients talk with each other. “There are lots of tears.” Veta’s path to a career training service dogs began when she was a child in San Diego and loved dogs but was unable to have pets.

She grew up wanting to become a veterinarian primarily to work with dogs.

However, after graduating Lincoln High School in 1987 she developed an interest in foreign service. Veta earned a master’s in international relations at Harvard in 1991. By 1995, she was U.S. vice consul in Moscow, working on organized crime issues.

Her career in international relations ended when she returned to San Diego to marry and start a family. Today, she and her husband, Ross, have three adult children.

Veta continued with a career, graduating law school and becoming a San Diego attorney in 2002.

But she never lost her love for dogs.

In 2009, she adopted a mother and eight puppies just hours before they were scheduled to be put down. “We raised the puppies until they were old enough to be adopted and found great homes for all of them. The mom stayed with us, and we still have her today,” Veta said.

Since that time, she and her family have fostered 40 dogs scheduled for euthanasia. All were saved and adopted.

In 2017, she left a lucrative law practice to join Tender Loving Canines. She felt she could merge her love for dogs with her desire to make a difference.

“My dream of becoming a veterinarian has been realized in a different way,” said Veta, now 51. “I get to work with dogs and have an impact on people.”

Although training during the pandemic has been challenging, the program has survived. “We had to remove dogs from prisons due to COVID-19. Recently, I had to remove 23 dogs in less than 24 hours. The brig at Camp Pendleton, however, doubled its number of dogs. And volunteers stepped in to raise and train dogs and provide temporary care.”

Veta says she is always looking for volunteers to raise puppies, train or provide temporary care. For more information , go to www.tenderlovingcanines.org.