'Virgin River' Star Annette O'Toole Opens Up About Her Adorable Rescue Pup 'Barry'

Earlier this month, when the stunningly talented actress Annette O'Toole announced she had added a precious rescue pup to her family, we couldn't help but celebrate with her. O'Toole adopted Barry, who she thinks may be a Cairn/West Highland Terrier mix from a shelter in Los Angeles and we asked the actress, singer and song-writer all about her adorable dog.

Here's what life has been like for O'Toole since rescuing precious Barry.

ParadePets: Have you ever had any other pets besides Barry?

My husband Michael (O'Toole is married to the wonderful actor and singer/songwriter Michael McKean) and I had a Jindo (Editorial note: a Jindo is a breed of hunting dog)  that followed me up the driveway one morning. Well of course he never left. We named him Jimmy and he was with us for 15 years. I was a wreck when he died.

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ParadePets: What prompted the decision to adopt?

I have been wanting a dog for a long time, but because of our schedules and all the traveling we do, I didn’t think it would be possible. So I decided to go to the shelter and foster a dog and see how things went. But then I met Barry (originally Cuervo). He had not been neutered yet and they would not allow me (rightly) to foster an intact dog. So I called Michael. We talked about it briefly and he said, “if you feel so strongly about this dog, let’s do it.” I walked back in and signed the adoption paperwork. He had to have his surgery before I could take him home. When I said good-bye to “Cuervo” I wept. It was like leaving a member of the family.

ParadePets: What do you love most about Barry?

How affectionate he is. Our dog Jimmy loved his family, but he wasn’t terribly affectionate. Barry can’t get enough physical contact. When I hold him, I can feel my blood pressure go down.

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ParadePets: What is the most surprising things about Barry?

How quickly he has insinuated himself into our lives. And that he doesn’t care a bit about toys.

ParadePets: How has Barry been adapting to his new home?

For this first week at home, we have confined Barry to the den, kitchen and the back yard. We didn’t want to overwhelm him with the run of the house just yet. So we put a little gate up to keep him to those areas. Also, he was recovering from surgery and wasn’t supposed to be too active. He LOVES his food. He loves to walk, but we haven’t done too much of that either because of his recovery.

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ParadePets: When you start filming Virgin River again, will Barry be joining you?

I will definitely be bringing him with me to Vancouver. I’m not sure about bringing him to set. I think he would have more fun at Doggy Day Care.

ParadePets: What are your other upcoming plans for you and Barry?

We may be in New York in the fall. Barry would be a cosmopolitan apartment dwelling New York dog for a few months. I would be happy to have some time off and just be with my family.

Thank you so much Ms. O'Toole for sharing your adorable rescue dog with us and we hope that anyone looking for a dog checks with their local Humane Society, animal shelter, or rescue group in their area to find their own forever friend.

Barry was adopted from the South LA Shelter. If you are interested in making a donation, learning about volunteer opportunities, or seeing what other animals they have looking for a forever home, you can visit their website here.