The above photo is from the Cesar Canine Cuisine - Doggie Dinner Party event that I posted about before but this post is to talk more about Maria’s poodle, Noel (pronounced like the French word for Christmas - “Noelle”). Maria told reporters she rescued Noel about four years ago during Christmas - hence the name, Noel! The reason Noel is in a baby sling is, Noel is a quadriplegic - her bones were attacked by an autoimmune disorder preventing her from walking. Maria said she often gets asked why she didn’t just put down Noel but she believes that as long as the dog is happy and healthy, there’s no need to put down a dog with disabilities, and she wants to raise awareness about these disabilities that dogs can have but with loving owners they can still be happy and live a healthy life.