Sal Aliotti is the owner of Lighthouse Lighting and Lamps, and if you’ve stopped by his store at 652 Lighthouse Avenue, it’s likely that you’ve met Sal and his two furry friends, Fifi and Jacques. While Sal is helping customers select a lamp from his showroom, handling lighting design orders, or restoring antique lamps and chandeliers, Jacques and Fifi sit behind the desk, happily watching all the activity. But what’s the story behind these two sweet dogs?

In 2004, Fifi and Jacques were found in the fields of Salinas, having roamed the countryside together for about a month without anyone to care for them. When they were brought by a good Samaritan to Salinas Animal Services, the little dogs were sick, dehydrated, dirty, skinny, and had no ID.

Sal’s daughter became attached to them as soon as she saw them at the shelter and she wanted to adopt them both immediately, but the dogs were so ill she had to wait until they could be nursed back to health. During that time, she and a friend went to visit them at the shelter almost every day. A month later, when Jacques and Fifi were finally well enough to leave the shelter, Sal’s daughter brought them home to her mom and dad.

At that time, Sal didn’t like dogs…and now he had not one, but two of them in his house! He was reluctant to allow them to stay. But he grew to love Fifi and Jacques; the dogs’ unconditional love touched him, and soon enough, he couldn’t imagine life without them. When Sal’s daughter got married years later and moved to Illinois, she said she was taking the dogs with her…but Sal said no. The dogs had to stay in Monterey with him and his wife.

Sal brings Jacques and Fifi to Lighthouse Lighting and Lamps every day. He says they get sad if they don’t come to work with him. You might see the three of them walking around the neighborhood during a break, or you can stop by the shop and meet all three of them in person.