I love animals. They are a hell of a lot easier to deal with than humans, that’s for sure. I own two cats, and by the end of the year, will end up getting back a dog I gave to my sister because she can’t take care of it anymore. I really think that kids should have pets. They learn things that will help them out later in life, and having one built-in friend is never a bad thing. Pets also make the cheapest 24-hour security device you can find. Pet owners are getting a bad rap these days because of some people taking it way past the bounds of reason. Before making blanket statements and trying to get animals banned altogether from local parks, please consider that there are a lot of us who want to co-exist without changing you.

I live in Southern California, or “the land of fruits & nuts,” as my father likes to call it. Since I got out here, I have seen purses with puppies poking out of them in the middle of Target, Chihuahuas with outfits (sometimes even coordinating with their owners) and even restaurants with menus for the dogs. While I totally intend to take advantage of that last one, my irritation is that some people have too much free time on their hands and are making it challenging for responsible “normal” pet owners. These zealots (who, by the way, didn’t rescue their pup from the pound—they paid $800 to a breeder) are actually going the right way to get some of our privileges reversed. Irresponsible owners who let their dogs run free have succeeded in getting all dogs banned from most beaches, made it illegal to take dogs to half of the parks in town, and are looking for new ways to push the envelope and have the privileges taken away that we worked so hard to get.

I understand that not everyone likes dogs—I get that. The thing is, you should take them places that are meant for dogs and never force your pet on everyone else. That is the part that people are getting so pissed off about, and why wouldn’t they? I don’t care if you smoke, but keep it away from me. The same principle should apply to pets. If you don’t like pets, then you probably shouldn’t be in PetSmart; I am certainly not going to walk Lucy into Wal-Mart.

Animals with wardrobes, now that is a bit much. The occasional sweater on cold days or a raincoat so the whole house doesn’t smell like wet dog is just practical. There is also nothing wrong with a good holiday costume or a little accent piece. Part of the reason you get a pet is to have fun with it. I have seen stores that offer doggy undies, nightgowns and things my dolls would have envied when I was little. What is the reason for this? It’s a dog, not a doll.  Do your dogs even like it? Most of the time, they look miserable when you put it on them and their bodies have built in heating and cooling systems for a reason. By dressing them up like dolls you are messing with that system. And a little sparkle on the collar is cute, but when the animal has enough bling to make it a target for pick pocketing you’ve gone too far.

Costs of everything continue to rise and it is now more important than at any time, at least while I’ve been living, to watch where those pennies go. At the same time, feeding a pet quality food can prevent health issues, reduce shedding, and ensure healthy weight maintenance. Science Diet is my brand of choice. For two cats, this runs me about $30 a month and for one large breed dog, $40. Add to that the cost of flea medications, vaccinations, toys (ALWAYS worth it) and additional cleaning supplies, and it is easy to rack up a good sized bill for a pet. I bought my cats and dog each a bed of their own and spent about $100 total.  I don’t think any of these things are unreasonable. Most people don’t buy $40 Swarovski Collars (they do exist, I’ve seen them) and $1500 memory foam mattresses for their pets. Even if they do, who cares?

I moved in with my boyfriend this year, and we had to go through the acclimatization process. He did really well for not having any pets of his own when I met him. The only real sticky point was the animals sleeping on the bed. I don’t see a problem with it. I really don’t. It’s not like a cat takes up much room. My animals are primarily indoor animals and stay pretty clean. They don’t sleep under the covers and tend to get up and leave in the middle of the night anyway. In the end, the man in the bed will always trump the dog in the bed, so we came to an understanding there, but that’s not always the way it goes. I came across a reality TV program with a woman who was so dedicated to the dog she slept on the couch with the dog rather than have the dog sleep outside of the bedroom for even one night.

I understand there are people that take loving their pets too far, but there are also people who pamper their pets without joining a three-ring circus. Yes, my dog has a raincoat, but no, I don’t paint her nails. Yes, I feed them fancy food, but it is also dry and because of their own special needs. Yes, my cats sleep on my bed, but no, they don’t run my house. The point I’m trying to make with all of this is that there are way more people in this world that are responsible pet owners that keep things in proportion than there are idiots with living dolls that run their lives. There are so many benefits that having a pet provides. It would be short sighted, narrow minded and unfeeling to ban all pets from your children’s lives. Before giving them an outright no, consider giving them rules and consequences. That little ankle biter may annoy you at times, but the first time someone tries to hurt that child it’ll all be worth it.

Photo courtesy of Chris Jernigan

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