Eugene weekly., July 28, 2016, Page 16, Image 16

“h
Kitty
couture
Eugene cat vamps it up in costume
BY JESLYN LEMKE
ere kitty, kitty. Come put on this rosary and sit next to this golden chalice
like you’re taking communion.”
So it goes for BooBoo, a 17-pound Eugene tabby whose dress-up
antics have earned him five million views on the website Pretty 52 and his
own greeting card Etsy shop (79 sales and counting!).
Feline fashionista Carla Hervert of Eugene dresses her pal of 11 years
into all manner of cat-sized costumes. Her Dress Up Cat business sells greeting cards of
BooBoo in several stores in Lane County (Florence, Junction City and the gift shop at
Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend).
BooBoo is one of those roly-poly dog-like cats who doesn’t jump at loud noises (I
checked) and never misses a meal. He is a bona-fide sweetheart. He adores the photo
shoots because it means chin rubs and kitty treats.
“He loves sunglasses. Sometimes I put sunglasses on him in the backyard,” Hervert
says. “He walks me to the mail every day.”
A year ago, UK media company Caters News Agency contacted Hervert to ask for the
rights to her video about Dress Up Cat.
The video, titled “Sassy Cat Will Dress Up for Chin Rubs,” went viral last January, and
not because it sounds like a 2001 porn video.
In the video, which now has more than five million views on Pretty 52, she dresses up
BooBoo in a slide-by-slide parade of costumes. There is Iraq soldier kitty, beach kitty, the
grizzled inmate kitty and rich ski-resort kitty. There is one shoot where he is supposed to
be a “secretary” with a miniature typewriter, but the vampy red dress may also cast him
as “sexy librarian” kitty.
Hervert also sold the rights to BooBoo’s news story to another UK company, HotSpot
Media. She was very surprised when a friend sent her a May 2015 edition of National
Enquirer, which devoted a full-page spread to BooBoo and Hervert, along with several
photos taken by Hervert. The headline reads, “The Ultimate Poseur Puss!”
“They don’t tell me who buys the stories. I have to Google search to find stories,” says
Hervert, who receives a small stipend from both media companies every few months.
Here in Eugene, Hervert enjoys taking her greeting cards (retail $4.50) to various craft
shows. She and her husband are avid photographers of Oregon’s scenic views, so her spread
of greeting cards includes BooBoo, other cats and animals, as well as Oregon scenery.
Hervert sees Dress Up Cat as her hobby, as she works full time as a nurse at Sacred
Heart Medical Center. On a weekly basis, she is always looking for props for the photo
shoots. She had a Catholic friend who liked the idea of BooBoo as a priest.
“She’s really Catholic. She wanted him to be a priest. I went to St. Vinnie’s and found
a little gold chalice for the priest shoot,” Hervert says. “I used Necco wafers for the
communion plate.”
Cards are available online at etsy.com/shop/DressUpCat.
P HOTO BY DRE SS UP C AT / C A RL A HERV ER T
Who gets the pet?
Plan ahead to keep pets out of custody disputes
BY CAMILLA MORTENSEN
p
mal-friends, she says. And indeed, after we separated Smudge and Lily, my little wiener
ets are kind of like practice kids for some of us or, for people like me, they are
dog never bonded with another dog again.
straight up in lieu of bearing children — just please don’t call them fur-babies;
Garcia writes, “Animal custody battles can be pursued in regular civil trial court or
that’s gross.
through the use of a mediator.” If it comes to a legal dispute, the Animal Legal Defense
But just like real children, pets sometimes get caught in the fray of a break-
Fund suggests, “Since animals are considered property in the eyes of the law, it may be
up. When my ex-fiancé and I split, I kept Smudge, the dachshund mix I owned
helpful to offer proof that you were the one who adopted the animal, or if the animal was
before we got together, and he kept Lily, the pit-Dalmatian puppy we got as a
purchased, that you were the one who purchased the animal.”
couple. I was possibly more heartbroken over losing the dog than I was over
ALDF says don’t worry if you were not the person who originally brought home Fido
canceling the wedding.
or Fluffy. Vet records, and receipts for grooming, dog training, food and other items go a
Not all pets stay with their people when relationships end. Lauren Merge, Greenhill
long way toward proving you were the primary caregiver.
Humane Society’s communications manager, says the nonprofit gets dogs and cats that are
For those who want to keep it out of the courtroom, Garcia says, “Creative shared-
dropped off as a result of couples splitting up or getting a divorce. That’s heartbreaking for
custody or visiting plans may be possible if both parties are amenable.”
the couple as well as the pet that is suddenly in need of a new home.
By the time my next long-term relationship broke up, I
Merge has some advice for couples. She says, “As unroman-
had learned from my regret over losing Lily. My next ex and I
tic as it sounds,” when couples are looking to get a pet, “have a
worked out a joint custody agreement over our dog Rhoda, with
plan.” She says she and her boyfriend plan to stay together, but
my ex even volunteering to pay dog support at one point.
when they adopted a cat, they decided if something were to hap-
Merge at Greenhill says that when the situation is such that
pen, “he takes the cat.”
neither partner can keep the pet, it’s good to have a backup plan,
According to attorney Christine Garcia, writing for an Ameri-
like a family member who can take the dog or cat rather than
can Bar Association newsletter, “Animal custody fights between
surrender it. “It’s an emotional enough time,” she says, and los-
significant others ending their relationship are usually highly
ing a pet makes it harder.
emotional and charged with leftover personal issues.”
Greenhill will help owners look for boarding resources in the
She questions her clients about whether the pet custody dis-
community, Merge says, and while the humane society’s prefer-
pute could be “about personal healing or other unresolved issues
ence is that animals can stay with their people, “We will keep
and not about animal care?” And she suggests attorneys raise
them safe and find them a new home,” adding, “for some people
points with clients such as the animal’s age, quality of life and
it’s a relief knowing the pets are well cared for and they can
the stress of long-distance travel if the animal must be moved.
— LAUREN MERGE
focus on personal issues.”
Also to be considered is separating animals from their ani-
Greenhill Humane Society
'As
unromantic
as it
sounds, have
a plan.'
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July 28, 2014 • eugeneweekly.com