For 15 years you have struggled with what to do with this dog. She only turned left, her tongue would not stay in her mouth, she barked at the wall, and was never fully potty trained. You threatened to ship her off every week, but you never did because as hard as she was to live with she was easy to love. You have spent countless amount of money on chew proof crate pads so that she could go on family vacations because she never wanted to go to the kennel. You have cut meetings and dinners short so that you could get home to let her out. This morning, however, all of that came to an end.
Your dog passed away at home last night. Your sound found her and is heartbroken. The whole family, in fact, is heart broken. While the kids were away at school you spend time getting rid of everything that would remind the kids of their loss. From donating the chew proof crate pads to a local animal shelter to searching for the lost toys throughout the house and the yard, you have done everything within your power to help the kids and their process. You have plenty of photos of the mangy little dog and the kids that you will share when they ask, but you know that this afternoon and evening will be tough.
Pets Quickly Become Part of a Family
Many families will do anything they can to make a dog feel comfortable. From transforming a laundry room or mud room remodel to give their again pet her own apartment within the house to hiring people to come stay in the house while a family is on vacation, there are few things that a family will not do when it comes to keeping a pet comfortable. And while some families have to rearrange their home for an aging pet, there are also many accommodations that a family makes for younger, more healthy animals. Did you know, for instance, that as many as 45% of U.S. dogs sleep in their owner’s bed? If you have ever had a truly beloved family pet, of course, you might not be that surprised by that statistic.
Unfortunately, for every animal that is loved by a family there are hundreds who live less comfortable lives. Too often families purchase pets without thinking about the implications of having that animal in the house. As a result, as many as six million animals wind up in animal shelters across the U.S. every year. For every family who invests in orthopedic dog beds for aging animals there are many more who make a far less kind decision. They leave animals at a shelter drop off in the middle of the night. For every new pet owner who will spend money on indestructible dog kennel beds for young pups who are still being trained, there are many more who will simply get rid of a pet.
Fortunately, there are people in this world who will take care of pets that end up in shelters or in other less than ideal situations.
A recent national television news story featured a woman in one metropolitan area who collects donated items like chew proof crate pads, food and other supplies for homeless people who find needed support from their pets. Even though they themselves are without a home, there are a number of homeless people who keep their dogs with them. Because these animals are not allowed in most homeless shelters, this good samaritan helps our by finding families to help when an animal needs a temporary home. By supplying the owner and the foster families with the needed chew proof crate pads, food, and animal toys, these pets can say happy so that they can continue to provide comfort for their owners. In some cases these animals are even able to get the shots that need and other care by animal shelter doctors who take to the street on a monthly basis.
Whether they are in a home or in another setting, one in four pet dogs in the U.S. are diagnosed with some form of arthritis and can use the comfort of beds and pads to live a happier life.