Paperplates and Puppies

By Linda Spurlin

Lightening and electrical plug-ins aside, one of the most shocking experiences of my life was motherhood. I remember (with a smile) my young son’s concerned face when he asked me if potpies had poop in them. And how well I remember explaining to my daughter that ‘brassiere’ was not a country in South America. Those were the days. And then the teen years hit and the shocks hit home even harder!

But the other day when our adult daughter phoned and said she was considering moving closer to dear old mom and dad, I had a pleasant shock. When she said that she would be bringing her two dogs with her, I was gripping the phone with one hand, so I had to kick off my slippers to count. Sure enough, four and two was six. Six dogs in our small house until she finds her own place. As my mind wandered the aisles of Wal-Mart for more dog food and extra vacuum cleaner bags, I had another thought. This really was a good thing! It meant I had raised a responsible pet owner.

When my kids were small, I was constantly amazed they didn’t understand that glass broke. How different they were from myself as a child. Why? I kept asking myself this, as broken toys and dollar bills floated past my eyes. Why didn’t they understand to use caution with glass ornaments, or fragile heirlooms, or old books. It finally dawned on me they were growing up in a disposable world. Paper plates, styrofoam cups, cardboard boxes, you name it. So many things now days are disposable. And, apparently, so are pets.

What, you say? Dogs and cats are not paper plates or picnic cutlery? Ah, but look at any newspaper pet section. People are moving and cannot take their dog with them. You don’t see them advertising their children, do you? Oh yes, they take them along. But somehow it never occurred to them when they got a dog or a cat that they might move someday and it would be inconvenient to pack along dog food or litter boxes or to find an apartment in a strange city that allows pets.

And so Fido or Fluffy become another product of this disposable world, discarded like plastics and pop cans to be recycled into someone else’s time frame. Some pets recycle well. Goldfish and parakeets don’t mind much at all. But the wounded souls and sad eyes of the dogs and cats on death row at the countless animal control facilities show that while it may not have mattered to their masters, it matters a great deal to those left behind.

So what did I tell my daughter? I said, “Bring your dogs. I’m glad my dad raised me to be responsible enough to have raised you to be a responsible pet owner.”

To recycle a used pet, contact Colville Pet Refuge (509) 732-4126, Becky’s Best Buddies (509) 935-6635, or Stevens County Cat Care at (509) 935-MEOW.