Pet Talk

by Cathy Davis
    It doesn’t pay to go on vacation. From the pile of work on your desk to the pile of debris in your home, it just doesn’t pay.  Debris, yes I said debris. This past week my husband took me on a trip to Boston to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary.  What a thrill to go to my first Red Sox game. I not only enjoyed the most loved baseball park in the country, but I got to see Beckett and Papelbon pitch, (we won’t talk about the inning that Bard pitched two home runs to tie the score) but I also got to see Big Poppy hit a home run! And what an exciting finish, bottom of the 9th, all tied up, and a game winning hit for the Red Sox!
    When we travel, we don’t have to worry about “child care” for our four-legged child. Scruffy is in good hands with my dad, and we have no concerns that he’ll be well taken care of, but when we walked back in the door Friday night after a very long ride home from Boston, my father just grinned, and said “wait till you see the upstairs, your doggie missed you”, and I knew that I was going to pay for my trip away.
    Sure enough, the living room was littered with everything Scruffy could reach, the pine cones from the basket, all of them, were strewn across the floor, my remaining plaster bunny, from one end to the other, the evidence of my doggie’s irritation that momma wasn’t there to pamper him. 
    The bathroom likewise revealed a bored doggie’s day. Upended trash covered the floor, and there was nothing to do but laugh.
    In all of his “destruction”, he did not ruin anything that had any value, at least not that I’ve found so far, and mostly because we have learned to put anything of value out of his reach. He’s not a bad dog, he’s a dog with separation anxiety though, and we love him for his sweet disposition and happy personality and we have to just laugh when he’s been “bad.”
    Telling you all this might not necessarily make you want a dog of your own. They do come with some habits sometimes, especially when they are younger and still in training, but there is nothing like the love of a canine, the unconditional love and devotion and the years of companionship and entertainment that they bring to a family.
    If you are looking for just the right dog for your family, please join us on June 11 from noon to 4 p.m. in the parking lot of the Varney Agency, across from Tim Horton’s. There will be a giant adopt-a-thon that day, including games, food, prizes, raffles, and animals from our shelter as well as other shelters. If you don’t see just the right dog, let Heather know what you’re looking for. She networks beautifully with other shelters across New England and might be able to bring a dog to you from another shelter if they have what you’re looking for. 
    Our Shelter has worked with rescues across the country, including helping re-home animals displaced by the tornadoes, and we continue to assist with placement, just as other shelters help us if we have a special need. 
     If you are like me and your calendar fills up quickly, please mark these dates for future events. June 18 there will be a yard sale at the animal shelter from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
    On June 25, there will be an adopt-a-thon in front of Reimagined on Bangor Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
    On July 1, we will be selling raffle tickets for a big screen TV and an Esther Orr Faulkner painting in front of the theater on Market Square.
    On July 2, we will be at the craft fair with cats available for adoption and will be selling raffle tickets at that event and July 9 there will be another yard sale at the Shelter.
    We’ll also be at the August Craft Fair downtown selling t-shirts, magnets, baked goods, candles and food bowls. And then of course Sept. 10, Rockin’ The Doghouse in Monument Park — our big event of the year. This event takes dozens of volunteers; so if you would like to help, let us know so we can sign you up.
    It’s going to be a busy summer and you can help just by showing up!  We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you June 11.