As we near the large plot of grass on the south side of Geary Avenue just before it reaches Dovercourt Road, Rio begins wagging his tail and pulling on the leash. It’s here he gets to chase his ball. And then, when he’s tired of that, he’ll explore and sniff the tangled white and yellow yarrow at the property’s south perimeter, adjacent to the train tracks. Rio’s a condo-living dog, and if he has anything like a backyard, this is it.

Bilbo isn't afraid to show her many sides, and on the afternoon I met her, I saw two of them. She greeted me with curiosity, rubbing her head against my hand, but later, when I went to pet her goodbye, she swung a set of claws at me to let me know I was dismissed.

Charlie had toyed with the idea idea of running off to explore the neighbourhood, but, unlike many cats, he’s not much of a climber or a jumper. Shannon was always able to stop him before he got too far. But then, this April 15, everything lined up just right.