• Twylarants said on Oct 01, 2008....

  Oh my gosh, Mimi...this is...wow.
   I never could understand why some people treat animals, particularly dogs, as though they are disobedient children, or worse, as though the dog is doing whatever deliberately.
  The young guy next door worked all day and night, and the poor dog was stuck in the house. When the owner came home, we could hear him yelling at the dog for peeing inside. What the hell did he expect? Moron. (Sorry, Pickers...some people are morons.)
  Or the stupid owner who walks the dog, then, when the dog stops to sniff the ground, they yank the leash to make the dog keep walking. Why did they bring the dog out in the first place? I'd love to walk up to them and yank them by the collar and see how they like it.
  We've never had dogs because we both always worked, and felt it wasn't fair to leave a dog shut up, alone, in a house all day.
  But we did have cats...they don't care where you go as long as you leave food.
  
  How can anyone hit an animal?
  

• mobil said on Oct 01, 2008....

  It's a cruel trick the good Lord played on us to give our dogs such a short life span Mimi.
   
  This was great, thanks for posting it.

• MissMimi said on Oct 01, 2008....

  My father used to hit his hunting dogs (another vile practice), and even as a child, I was outraged that he would do that.  Absolutely unacceptable.

  The tenth one is particularly poignant for me because my sister recently made the sad decision to euthanize her chocolate Lab, Molly.  I know she and my brother-in-law actually laid on the floor on a blanket with Molly while the vet did what he had to do.  They held her as she quietly passed.  *sigh*  Such a heartbreaking and precious moment.

• uniquely-ironic said on Oct 01, 2008....

  this is wonderful.  Pet's are in many ways superior friends to us.  thanks for posting it.

• kruuyai said on Oct 01, 2008....

  Number one breaks my heart, because I used to travel a lot when I had my cats (until they got older, and then I never wanted to leave them), but I would go away for long stretches, and it really added up.  I really regret that.  Number 10, I absolutely agree with.  All three of my babies died with my hands on them.  I wouldn't have it any other way. 
  
  Nowadays, when I watch people walking their dogs, I'm amazed by this idea that they have to be constantly disciplined as if they are disobedient children.  The thing that bothers me the most, other than outright abuse (which, thankfully, I don't see much of in the Czech Republic) is when someone is walking their dog, and they cross paths with someone else who is walking their dogs.  The two dogs get excited and happy and want to greet each other and sniff and smell, and what usually happens?  The "owners" (as if you could actually "own" another living creature) yank that thing around their neck to keep them away from each other and keep going.  Imagine if humans were kept isolated in the homes of some other creatures and taken out for walks once a day with a leash around our necks.  These walks would be our only chance to see other humans, and no doubt, we would be really excited to greet them and have a chat, even if we had never met before.. gravitating to our own kind... someone who speaks our own language... imagine the joy of that meeting being interrupted by a yank on the chain around our neck... and being pulled away before we could properly finish the conversation....
  

• SeanRenaud said on Oct 01, 2008....

  This might apply for dogs.  My cat would disagree with this.  Specially 7.
   
  Seven would be more like this.
   
  7.  Before you try to hit me remember I am much faster than you and I can hold grudges for months.

• CayenneMan said on Oct 01, 2008....

• SeanRenaud said on Oct 01, 2008....

  You got cut Cayenne
   
  My cat would also oppose rule 1.
   
  1.  I'll pay attention to you when I'm ready and if I'm ready.  You may attempt to garner my favor through the offerings of gooshy food and milk but I still may choose not to acknowledge you.

• pusscat said on Oct 01, 2008....

  Oh wow - this was so moving, from laughter to tears in a moment.  Our dog died of natural old age when I was a teenager but I remember my Harry, my 'pusscat' (yep - that's where it came from :-) when he got so ill 3 years ago when he was 14.  After many, many tests and negative results and much deliberation, I went with my sister to the vets for him to be given peace on 12th Dec and I held him in my arms as his little soul left him.  He never looked so more peaceful.  Just like my Harry pusscat again.
  
  I feel he can be in on this post as he always thought he was a lap-dog anyway.
  
  
  

• CayenneMan said on Oct 01, 2008....

    No SeanRenaud,  my friend, I had a weak moment and flashed back to all of my pets I've had over the years. Several of which died in my arms taking they're very last breath, allways loyal until the end.     Great post MissMimi

• Me-Myself&I said on Oct 01, 2008....

  that was something else. i have alway had petS. they are my family. they understand me and i understand them. i called a place yesterday to see if they still had their puppies. jesse is 11 now. i want my old dog to teach a pup new treats, by following and watching.

  Miss Mimi, this was a special post. i will copy this in my notebook.

  Thank you, only a pet lover would post this! *smile*

• Twylarants said on Oct 01, 2008....

  I copied this to bring into work for a friend of mine, Mimi. She'll love it. I always kid her and say I don't really like dogs, but I always swerve to avoid them. She knows I'm only joking, but she still looks at me funny...lol. She'll really like this.

• Mamie said on Oct 01, 2008....

  I love these! I need to go over and sit with my dog...love him!!

• mOOn_platOOn said on Oct 01, 2008....

   
  I love kids and animals and cannot tolerate cruelty to either. It's the absolute lowest form of indecency.
   
  Not sure I understand # 3 though...
   
  Thanks for a thoughtful post. As a child I was mean to kitten who ran away, and have always regretted it. As an adult I have had some intemperate moments (and did "lock up" one of my cats in association with a urination habit I had to break him of - but only for a little while and with associative displays to help him understand what I was upset about).
   
  When my son was 3 he started teasing our cat one day, and I quickly pointed out that once you lose her trust, it's gone forever. But kindness will earn him a loving and warm companion. He's never been cruel to any form of life since.
   
  That last one got me. We had to put our 17 year old cat Nigel to rest when his tongue finally stopped working and he couldn't get a drink. After heroic efforts to sustain him, we realized that he only had small moments of happiness anymore, and was frustrated not to be able to eat or drink properly. He grew more and more restless.
   
  When we finally took him in - feeling like we'd waited too long - it was very sad and difficult, but we had no doubt that it was the best thing to do for him. I know that "in the wild" he would've died long ago, frightened and defeated.
   
  As it was, he died in  the warmth of our love.
   
  - OO
   

• MissMimi said on Oct 01, 2008....

  Just so you know for sure, I didn't write these.  I'd love to take credit for it, but it was e-mailed to me.  It really touched me.  I've lately been thinking about what I'll do when the time comes that that final step has to be taken.  I'll be there with my crabby little cat until the very end.  It's the least I can do for her.  She's been good, albeit a bit testy, company for 14 years.
   
  Thanks for all the good comments.

• moonriver said on Oct 02, 2008....

  #1 -- I know this, but I can't help it. Travel has almost always been part of my work. Maybe the reason why "my pets" have never been really mine, but those of the households I've been part of.
  
  #2 -- I've no problem with this. I have this knack of communicating with mammals at least. Lower vertebrates like reptiles, amphibians and fishes are difficult to talk to. Invertebrates are impossible, unless I grow antennae and chemical sensory spots.
  
  #3 -- Trust should be mutual. Nuff said.
  
  #4 -- Never been angry with pets. I merely *sound angry* when I want to intimidate them.
  
  #5 -- See #2.
  
  #6 -- See #4. Whenever I integrate myself into a new household (when you've spent years doing rural field work like me, it comes almost like 2nd nature), one of the first things I do is to befriend the house pets by feeding them.
  
  Once I was visiting family in LA, I noticed that the only pet in the house was a big lizard, and that the terrarium was a tiny biome in that it grew flies and mosquitoes that became the lizard's food. I couldnt feed it, so I merely watched and cheered it on each time it rolled out its sticky tongue and fed itself with insect morsels. I like to believe that that lizard and I became friends in the week I stayed there... :-)
  
  #7 -- Rarely have I violated this commandment. Only when absolutely necessary, like when my dog has just sunk his teeth onto a defenseless leg of the postman or meter-reader, and doesnt let go despite my most diplomatic admonitions.
  
  #8 -- Rarely have I violated this commandment.
  
  #9, #10 -- Been there, done that. I've never put a pet to sleep. (Well, not exactly true. When I was a kid, I put many spider pets to sleep by crushing them underfoot when I got bored with them.) Instead, I've nursed them all through their sufferings until they expired. Then I buried them myself.
  
  Do I get a high grade in your pet cathecism class, Miss M?
  
  
  

• Battycat said on Oct 02, 2008....

  That was wonderful miss m, thankyou for posting :-)

• botoni said on Oct 02, 2008....

  You've made me soggy faced again Mimsie.  Very moving and touching.

• skald said on Oct 02, 2008....

  Would you believe I could not access your blog. It said that Bitfender parent control had closed it and I had to change my settings to access it!!!!!!!!!!! what shear nonsense.
  Good post and I agree we should talk to animals.
  

• queenparanoia said on Oct 03, 2008....

  awwwww this make me love my dog more.... ;-)

• Psych-ed said on Oct 04, 2008....

  It made me cry.

• skald said on Oct 04, 2008....

  Just looking and had to put the parental control off once again.lol 

• MissMimi said on Oct 04, 2008....

  skald, that is so weird...  My blog needs parental controls...  LOL

• satanx said on Oct 06, 2008....

  as you will all discover that there is life after death. It may not be what you seek, but life goes on,and on,and on. Animals will be with you as well.

• karly said on Oct 07, 2008....

  If you are looking for a oval heated pet bed for that special dog in your life you should visit salesplanet.ws

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