In a beautiful moment of community, the citizens of San Jose, California, showed up with their furry canine counterparts to honor a local man on his 100th birthday. All Dr. Robert Moore wanted for the occasion was to pet some dogs. His family took to the NextDoor app to request backup. Robert’s four legged friends did not disappoint.
Nearly 200 dogs and their owners showed up to celebrate the milestone birthday. Many of the pooches dressed up and brought gifts for the occasion. They patiently waited in a line that went around the block. Robert made sure to pet each and every dog.
Robert’s daughters, Alison and Vickie, were moved by the outpouring of love from the community and spoke about their experience to NBC Bay Area. "My father, he was so touched. He [petted] every single dog that came through. Every person brought the dog up to him. It was so lovely," Alison gushed.
"This is probably the biggest thing that's happened in our family that's given us the most joy," Vickie said. Robert is a retired dean from San Jose State. Beyond his work in academia, he was known as a dog whisper among his family and friends.
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"It's hard to explain how special it was. He really felt the birthday love," Alison went on to say. "They were mostly strangers … and it just made you feel wonderful about your community that people would come out and do that for your dad who you love so much."
Alison only expected around 20 to 30 dogs to show up. She was blown away by the actual number. The Many wore costumes, ranging from tuxedos to cowboy hats. Some even arrived in style in classic cars.
The dogs did not show up empty pawed either. They brought cards, cupcakes, flowers, or posters. Robert was able to identify every breed that showed up.
If Robert ever finds himself in Cincinnati, Ohio, he could witness a different kind of parade. This one is made up of king penguins from the Cincinnati Zoo. During the day, any penguin that chooses to can go on a stroll through zoo grounds with their keeper. It is unknown at this time if Robert knows about this other adorable tradition or if he is strictly a dog lover.
