Clarence Harney
In the days following the death of Elyse Harney’s best friend and husband of 61 years, Elyse Harney stayed with her daughter’s family in Lakeville. Late one evening, a Dachshund scratched at the door asking to come in. It took two days for the family to learn that the dog had traveled from her home almost a mile away, apparently just to snuggle up with Elyse and offer her comfort.
After helping the dog back to her home, family members reached out to a rescue shelter to discover another Dachshund – this time male – needing a home. A shelter representative brought the dog to meet Elyse and it was love at first sight! She promptly decided to name him Clarence after the angel in It’s A Wonderful Life because she believed Papa John had sent him to bring her solace and ease her loneliness. The love goes both ways and the happy little dance Clarence performs when Elyse returns after being away would make you laugh with his contagious, unbridled joy.
These days, to see Elyse without Clarence is a rare sight and – despite his small stature – he takes his responsibilities as her guardian very seriously. If Elyse is at her desk, you can be certain Clarence is nearby, ready to defend his beloved Mistress from any and all dangers that might present themselves, (or simply to make certain she knows someone is entering the building!)