If you’ve ever been in a room with a parent, any parent, then you’ve heard the delightful chatter that is bound to unfold sooner or later. Discussions about childbirth pain, length of labor, size of child, pictures of the most beautiful baby ever born, and trust me, mine was, right up to stories of near disasters and wonders and miracles. You just can’t help but smile, and as much as you think you are never going to “bore” your friends again with your stories, you’ll just listen to theirs, you are bound to be drawn into the discussion whether your child is
a year old or forty years old.
It’s not much different when you are around animal lovers, and it’s especially true of dog owners. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in classrooms, restaurants, or business meetings where nobody knows me and has no idea that I’ve been involved in animal rescue work for 30 years, and the conversations that perk up my little ears.
A new pet is an especially good conversation starter, from what breed is he, to whether he’s afraid of thunder storms, how he walks on leash, who he obeys the best, or even how many times a day he does his business. You can always tell a new pet owner from an old pro.
Yes, I still talk about my Scruffy dog, and also Shannon, and Cocoa, and Holly, Ellie and Boo, but nowhere near as much as when they were first adopted. Scruffy was fodder for many a Pet Talk tale, so all of you got to hear about how many shoes he ate or how many times he turned over the trash. Then it kind of died down a little and now a friend has a new dog, so when I hear her tell stories of how he will go outside for her, but not her husband, where he sleeps, how many times a day he goes to the bathroom, I just have to grin.
Our pets become part of the family immediately. First night, they establish their territory, from whether they sleep on the bed or beside it, who gets to get up to put them out in the morning, what kind of food he likes, if going for a ride in the car is a chore or a privilege. They let us know who they are and what they like and don’t like.
They can’t talk to us, but they communicate their every wish and desire. If they want to be petted and you stop for just a second, a wet nose will nuzzle your hand right back under their chin. If they don’t like riding in the car, they will force you to pick up their 85 pound butts and push them in.
They bring us great joy and companionship, they give us much material for conversation, they give us a reason to get up in the morning many times when we’d like to sleep in. They are just part of the family.
I would love to see you have that kind of love and joy in your home, and it’s just as easy as making a trip to the animal shelter. It doesn’t have to be a dog that goes home with you, because as much as they say cats are “aloof” and not as loving as dogs, I am here to tell you that those people are wrong. My cat Boo adores me to the point of distraction. She has to lay by my feet all night, on my lap if I sit down, somewhere near my scent if I’m not at home. This cat is devoted and loving and when I’m feeling blue and she climbs up on me and starts to purr. There is a part of me that believes God made cats’ engines just to comfort the weary. What other reason would there be for this soft calming sound than to drag the tension right out of my body.
The Shelter is full right now. A lot of people wait till fall to adopt because of vacation schedules, running back and forth to camp, etc., but a recent poll of Maine shelters reveals that every shelter is full to overflowing right now and all need your help. There are a thousand reasons why animals end up in shelters. Maybe they were frightened during the fireworks and ran away and a neighbor thought they were lost and called animal control. Maybe a family is moving and can’t take a pet. Perhaps a death in a family left animals behind. Sometimes it’s a case of animal control removing pets from a situation for their own health and welfare.
It doesn’t matter why they’re there, but one thing I can guarantee you, shelters are not jails for the poorly behaved. This is a haven for the lost and abandoned, a place of rescue and love, but as much as they are cared for and adored, it should not be their forever home.
Perhaps your home is the forever home they deserve. Perhaps you can find it in your heart to rescue one, or more. They need you, and I just know that you will receive great joy and devotion if you adopt. Please consider giving a pet a new home. Thank you.
Cathy Davis is a longtime volunteer for the Houlton Humane Society. She can be reached at houltonanimalshelter@gmail.com or 532-2345.
