16th Birthday Is Setback for Special Mutt

Sido, the winsome mutt saved from death by an act of the Legislature five years ago, had her 16th birthday Thursday, but a party for the pooch turned into a sad affair after she suffered a seizure.

The sheepdog-and-collie mix was later reported resting at the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Hospital after her heart stopped while she was being examined to see if she was fit to attend her birthday bash, her owner, Richard Avanzino, said.

The dog became the center of controversy when her first owner, Mary Murphy, was found dead on Dec. 21, 1979, in her Mission District home. Sido, her will specified, was to be put to death, apparently because Murphy feared nobody would care for the dog when she was gone. But Avanzino, SPCA president, refused to cooperate, triggering a legal battle that ended in a precedent-setting court ruling and a state law specifically sparing the dog’s life.

Prediction Comes True

If the law passed, Avanzino said at the time, “it will save not only Sido but thousands of others condemned to death by a dead hand from the grave.” His prediction has proved accurate, and Sido has been his constant companion, commuting with him into the city every day and romping with him in the hills of Contra Costa County.

But about 3:15 p.m. Thursday, Avanzino said, Sido was being examined to see if she could attend her party and the dog suffered a seizure, but was resuscitated. A team of veterinarians was nearby Thursday night to be sure the pooch suffered no additional problems, Avanzino said.

“They’re giving her the maximum chance for life,” said Avanzino at the subdued birthday party that went on without Sido. “She’s a survivor. We’re confident she will live and share her love with all of us. . . .”