MAGGIE THE HOUSE HIPPO

For the 171st week of "7 QUESTION SUNDAY" we shine the spotlight on another influential individual from the PNW. Maggie was Seattle Humane Society’s longest resident but is now a happy dog ambassador with a growing social media following. Maggie’s owner Jen runs Hippodog Creations, a neurodiverse, intersectional, activist art and clothing shop on Etsy.

4EVRGRN: Hey, J&M! Tell us a little about yourselves.
J&M: Hello! Maggies is Seattle’s favorite house hippo and adult resuce dog and adoption advocate. Jen is an artist using her art to fundraise for various advocacy causes.

What are Maggie’s job as a Growly Dog Rehab ambassador?

J&M: Maggie was an adult rescue (4.5 years when adopted) who was Seattle Humane's longest resident at the time. She was in the shelter for more than 2 years before she found me. One of the reasons she struggled to get adopted was her reactivity to other dogs. I adopted her knowing that she may never be able to be around other dogs, but I was determined to give her the highest quality of life. Three years of positive reinforcement training has helped her not only reduce reactivity to other dogs, but even to have some dogs friends! So now Maggie and I advocate for other reactive dogs and particularly rescues who develop reactivity. I truly believe that any dog can be rehabilitated with time, love, and patience. And Maggie is proof of that!

Tell us about your Etsy shop!

J&M: I launched my Etsy shop in June 2020. I had just been furloughed due to the pandemic and I was really struggling with the lack of income and general mental health in quarantine. So, I revisited an old hobby of mine - art! I started sharing my art on social media and people began asking if I sold it, so I launched my Etsy! Through this journey, I realized that I could also help advocate for issues I am passionate about with my art. That's when I started printing my activist art on clothing. And it really took off! Now, a portion of every purchase made is donated to a Charity of the Month. My shop has donated over $5000 to some amazing organizations. You can find my Etsy here. :)

Does Maggie have a favorite treat?

J&M: Maggie's favorite treat is food! haha She could honestly eat everything. But lately, she's been really enjoying kefir mixed with pumpkin. I put it in a lick mat, freeze it and it's a perfect summer enrichment game for her!

What are some of Maggie’s favorite toys?

J&M: Maggie destroys any toy we get her in seconds. She loves every second of said destruction, but it makes it hard to keep toys around. However, she has this one Reindeer Stuffy that I got her for her first Christmas with me and she won't let me throw it out. It's basically a rag at this point, no stuffing left, but I put it in the trash and she fished it out. So now it's her emotional support rag!

Where was Maggie adopted from?

J&M: Maggie was adopted from Seattle Humane -but she was originally rescued in Texas.

What is Maggie’s favorite place?

J&M: Any slow-moving body of water (lakes, creeks, a beach with minimal wake). She is obsessed with playing in the water! Which is so funny because when I first adopted her, she was so terrified of rain that she gave herself a UTI from refusing to go pee in the rain.

Maggie has some pawesome partnerships, what are they and what are her discount codes?

J&M: Native Pet - MAGGIEPOTAMUS20
Getaway House - HIPPODOG ($25 off)
BIOHM - Maggie (20% off)
Livwell Nutrition - Maggie15
 
Follow all the fun on TikTok: @hippodogcreations
Instagram: @maggiepotamus
LTK: @Hippodogcreations