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Founder of Rocket Dog Rescue Mugged, Thieves Steal Donations Meant for Rocket Dog

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Rocket Dog Rescue Founder, Pali Boucher, with a cute dog. Photo by Krisen Seidle for Rocket Dog Rescue

I got a message from a reader today informing me that Pali Boucher, founder of Rocket Dog Rescue, was violently mugged last night. Besides her personal belongings the thieves also got away with all the donations she’d collected at a Rocket Dog fundraiser earlier in the evening. For those unfamiliar, Rocket Dog Rescue is a “San Francisco Bay Area dog rescue organization run by a group of dedicated volunteers. We save dogs from death at over-crowded shelters and find them loving, happy homes.”

This is obviously sad for many reasons. It’s a shame when anybody gets attacked and robbed, especially someone so dedicated to doing good. It’s also heartbreaking because that money will not be going towards helping doggies that really need it.

If you feel like helping Rocket Dog recoup the loss please donate here. They will appreciate it immensely.

Pali gave me permission to share her original Facebook post about the mugging. Here it is below:

I hesitate to write this..
but I’m furious and hurt and a little banged up..
so here goes.

as I parked tonight about to step out I saw a fast shadow coming up close to my car and turned fast to lock the door but before I could four (5?) men,
one big oaf with a a gun/pretending to have a gun-
pulled the door open- pulled me out grabbed my throat and slammed my head against the car while saying “shhhh” (that’s crazy right?)
I yelled “F#%K NO” and shoved him back as hard as I could so that he stumbled and fell

but his buddies had already ran behind me grabbed everything and ran.

I’m upset with myself because it is literally the only time that I’ve not had a dog with me.

The thing that really hurts me is that I’d been out at a rocket dog event all day, all the RD donations and checks that were to be deposited in the morning -gone.
(headed to the bank first thing in the morning to put a stop on everything)

Credit cards, phone. gone.

I went upstairs to get my big giant hounddog girl Calamity Jane and ran down the hill searching for anything that might have been thrown out. nothing.
No use calling the police.
I’m really just so sad. really it just feels dirty.

Once again if you feel like donating here’s the link.

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Broke-Ass Stuart - Editor In Cheap

Broke-Ass Stuart - Editor In Cheap

Stuart Schuffman, aka Broke-Ass Stuart, is a travel writer, poet, TV host, activist, and general shit-stirrer. His website BrokeAssStuart.com is one of the most influential arts & culture sites in the San Francisco Bay Area and his freelance writing has been featured in Lonely Planet, Conde Nast Traveler, The Bold Italic, Geek.com and too many other outlets to remember. His weekly column, Broke-Ass City, appears every other Thursday in the San Francisco Examiner. Stuart’s writing has been translated into four languages. In 2011 Stuart created and hosted the travel show Young, Broke, and Beautiful on IFC and in 2015 he ran for Mayor of San Francisco and got nearly 20k votes.

He's been called "an Underground legend": SF Chronicle, "an SF cult hero":SF Bay Guardian, and "the chief of cheap": Time Out New York.