Hiking in the Smokey Mountains |
I’ve never really talked about pets here on the blog, but
for those who know me, my pets are my children. And while I
wouldn’t claim that having a pet is quite like having a human child, I would
argue that every dollar spent on feeding and caring for my pets, every hour
spent training and working with them has been exponentially paid back in
unspeakable joy and the unconditional love that only animals have the ability give.
Unfortunately, much like how our agriculture system and
meat-heavy diets have placed a completely unfair and deplorable death sentence
on our farm animals, our irresponsibility, neglect and just plain cruelty have
left between 6 million and 8 million household pets in shelters across the country,
and about 3 million to 4 million euthanized each year.
While these numbers are down dramatically since the 1970s
due to all of the wonderful organizations, shelters and volunteers that work to
educate their communities, provide free spay and neuter clinics, and spend
thousands of hours to rehabilitate animals so they can go to great homes, we
still have a long way to go.
Helping us paint |
Over the course of a year, Toby had been adopted five times
and returned five times, we were told because he was an escape artist. Completely
won over by his sweet nature and gentle spirit, particularly when he interacted
with children, we vowed to make it work. It didn’t take much. A month or two of
basic exercise, a little bit of effort and trust was all it took. To this day,
I have no idea how five different families could have been so dumb, but their
loss was our gain. We may have, arguably, the best dog in the world.
If you are even considering the idea of adding a pet to your
family, I strongly encourage you to visit your local shelter this month. As
someone who volunteers at my local shelter every other Sunday, I can personally
attest to how wonderful these animals are and how lovingly they are cared for by
the volunteers who give up several hours of their day or week to keep them comfortable while they wait for their forever homes.
If a pet isn’t right for your family right now, please
consider making a small donation to your local animal shelter or giving food,
toys, dishes, etc. With most shelters run on donations and volunteers, every
little contribution makes a huge difference in the lives of these animals and
in your community.

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