“i didn’t save this dog’s life, he saved mine.”
-Ryan, owner and sole operator of Fenny’s Hotdogs & More
Our Story:
Hey there! My names Ryan and this is me and my dog Fenway, Fenny for short, an homage to my family roots in Boston, MA. From the day I brought him home, he and I had an instant connection. From training, to simple caretaking, and constant bonding due to working from home during the pandemic, he truly was meant to be a man’s best friend — and boy am I grateful! I rescued Fenny about a month before the world shut down in 2020 from a local shelter who had just had him shipped in off the streets of Puerto Rico. I was told he was found shagged, dehydrated, and malnourished, along with lots of anxiety but so much love to give. I knew from the get he was the one for me – the dog who was going to get me through my 20’s and grow with me into my 30’s. I’ve raised him since he was 1 and I thank the volunteers at the Sato Project every day for helping get him safe off the street and into my warm home. It’s now my turn to give back and with Fenny’s Hotdogs & More and the gracious donations by all of our amazing customers, we can help get the rest of these deserving Satos the care they need and into their own warm, loving homes with their forever families.
Puerto Rican rescue dogs, often called “satos,” are a mix of breeds known for their intelligence, adaptability, and affectionate nature. Organizations like The Sato Project,Miracles for Satos Rescue, and Animal Lighthouse Rescue focus on rescuing these satos, providing them with medical care, and finding them loving homes. These rescues also work to improve the well-being of satos on the island by spaying and neutering, providing food and water, offering emergency veterinary care, and getting these dogs off the streets and into homes around the world.
So, why hotdogs??
It all started the day our parents let us have our own set of house keys. My younger sister, Sarah, and I grew up latchkey kids. If you know, you know! Getting home from school expected to prepare our own snacks. As the oldest, I always took it upon myself to be in charge (maybe that’s just the Capricorn in me) but my little sister usually let me. When it came to preparing these daily after school snacks, there was one clear option when we both couldn’t decide what to make – HOTDOGS. But not just a microwaved wiener in a raw bun; or god forbid A SLICE OF WHITE BREAD! No, no, my extra-ass needed to make something I knew I could perfect as more than just an “after school snack” but a homemade meal prepared with love for my sister and I to enjoy after a long day. Monday-Friday, 5 long days of bus ride antics, homeroom bullies, and the stresses of trying to learn everything all at once, and having both parents be away at work most week hours, the least these two kids deserved was a warm, thoughtful meal. And for two late-in-life diagnosed ADHD-ers, this constant, the ease of transition, and the fact that we both had “safe foods”, Hotdogs just so happen to hit all those marks on more days than not for the both of us. Plus our parents were confident I could handle it at 7 years old. Which I could and did, I mean most times, there was this one time, tin foil in the microwave *hides behind hands* BUT IT WAS ONLY ONE TIME! Never happened again, see, you learn young and big things can happen! Look at me now, Pops!
Well, Ma, and Pops, may God rest his soul, ya’ll went through the trenches with me, climbed every peak with me, and I am so blessed to be on the other side, to prove you both (& myself) right because you never once stopped me from living my true self, never stopped me from chasing my dreams, and always encouraged me along the way no matter what crazy idea I had cooking up! Thanks for having the confidence in me to prepare my mini meals since 2nd grade for me and Sarah. I’ve grown up a bit since than but my love for cooking and the nostalgia in every bite of a hotdog hits every time and reminds me of how grateful I am to just be.
Plus the best dog in the world, yes the same one who got me through my 20’s and rockin’ with me in my 30’s, will do anything, and I mean ANYTHING, for a lil nibble of a plump, juicy hotdog!
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