Pets are Human too!

As a young girl, I used to see a dog every day on my way home from school. There was something about him. He had a short coat and was tan in color. For my stories sake, we’ll name him Jake as I never did know his name. Jake was always tied to an apple tree that was a distance from his owner's home. There was an old dog house in the dirt by the tree. For whatever reason, I never saw Jake in it although it did appear to be too small for him. There was a dirty metal bowl by the dog house. I can recall asking myself how he could drink water and have food in the bowl at the same time. Such is the innocence of a child.

It didn't matter what season we were in, Jake was always there, tied to that tree. I think what drew me to Jake was his tell tale body language. I don't know how old he was but his demeanor said "old." Jake always looked beaten. By that I mean his head was normally hung below his shoulders and his tail always tucked under him. When he looked at me with those big brown eyes I saw sadness. You see, Jake never had toys to play with or children to run with. He never looked like he had a bath or had been brushed. I shudder to think what his teeth looked like or when the last time was that his nails were clipped. His eyes told me that his spirit was broken. I walked past Jake for many years until one day he was no longer there. I don't know what happened. I guess as a child I didn't want to know.

I have never forgotten that dog and blame myself for not speaking up. You see, even as a child I felt there were injustices in the world. I think this is why I fight the injustices of pets today. You see, the Jakes of the world have no choices to make. They don't get to pick the family, labeled their owner. They are pulled from their mom's and placed in an environment that is not of their choosing. Many times after the newness of a pet wears off, their lives become one drawn out state of loneliness and deprivation. I tell you this story because I want people to be aware that “Pets are human too.” Like us,they have physical and emotional needs that must be met. Because of this, we all need to look long and hard at ourselves to determine whether a dog or cat or any other animal should be placed in our homes.

Remember, pets don't have a choice in the matter of “ownership.” Pets do however,deserve and have a right to be happy, living in a home of love and respect.

To look at a site that really cares about your dogs and cats go to: http://www.pawssosweet.com

Cathy Stupak is a lover of animals. She has two Cornish Rex cats named Jake and Callie. They have been a part of her life now for 7 years. Cathy owns an online business at http://www.pawssosweet.com. This site was created out of love and is for those families that treat their pets as one of them. Cathy enjoys flower gardening and spending time with her family.