Photo by Erin Nelson.
Luna, a rescue owned by Nichole Cleveland, barks as she rides shotgun in Doug and Wendy Cleveland’s truck in Trussville on Aug. 22.
Luna is famous around here.
The 6-year-old mixed breed — parts plott hound and treeing walker coonhound — was the focus of nearly 300 Facebook “Likes” and more than 100 comments on a What’s Happening in Trussville post Aug. 6.
The initial post read, “To the person who drives daily around the (Cahaba Project) in a small truck with the dog barking out of the passenger side window, thank you. It makes me smile every time I hear it. Can I pet your dog?”
The comments poured in.
“I love that dog.”
“I love hearing her too. Such a happy sound.”
“I hope this dog (and owner) knows the smiles they spread.”
When people meet Luna, they believe she is part Labrador. Hewitt-Trussville High School graduate Nichole Cleveland, Luna’s owner, got her in October 2016. Cleveland’s boss found Luna at his hunting camp and sought a new home for her. Cleveland realized pretty early on that Luna had a unique bark.
“She definitely uses her bark to express her desires,” Cleveland said. “When she wants to go for a ride in the truck she usually barks and spins in a circle. She seems to have a unique bark for when she sees other animals compared to just driving.”
Cleveland typically takes Luna to curbside pickups and drive-thrus. She sometimes does not do well in crowds.
“The rides are usually a part of the day set aside to just ride around or go for a walk,” Cleveland said.
On those rides, though, Luna talks. She leans her head out the truck window and bowls at the wind.
“It makes Luna happy so we take her for rides,” Cleveland said. “Her being out the car window is a little less loud than her being in the car. By now it has become an after-dinner ritual.”
On these rides, Luna and Cleveland see people they know and meet new folks. Luna’s unique bark, somewhat of a high-pitched yelp, garners attention.
“Her bark gets people’s attention and then they usually wave,” Cleveland said. “It was nice to see on the Facebook thread (on Aug. 6) that people do genuinely like to see or hear her go by.”
Cleveland created a Facebook fan page for Luna in June, called “Bark-a-bout with Luna.” The page totals nearly 200 fans.
“I started the Facebook page after someone followed the truck home to meet Luna,” Cleveland said. “I figured that if they wanted to meet Luna others might want to, too.”
Cleveland said she feels as if Luna is a “little famous,” since she barks through so many Trussville and Clay neighborhoods. Cleveland said she believes people can learn from Luna.
“Like people, animals have unique personalities,” she said. “Something ordinary, like riding in a car, could make your dog and people in the community happy.”
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