Comment on Not a “pet person.” by Salty Dog

Salty Dog — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:59:22 +0000

When I was a child I asked my father if we could get a dog. He said he didn’t want one. I asked him why. He said that as a child his dog bit another kid. The dog was put down. Later the other boy said he was mistaken and that another dog had bitten him. My dad was devastated to find out his dog had been needlessly put down. My father said that is why we were not getting a dog. Evidently, he wanted to be spared the pain of becoming attached to another dog only to endure the pain of loss when that dog too died or was put down. Maybe he was trying to spare me the same pain of loss. After all, like people, all pets die. I learned at an early age to avoid becoming “attached” emotionally to a pet. I can only assume that this attitude also applies to the people in my life. When I read Tails I got the impression that attachment is a necessary part of life and attachment will eventually bring about the pain of grief and loss. We must attach and experience our emotions to fully grasp and understand the meaning of life. For the addicts who shared their stories in Tails it seems their attachment to their pets was their lifeline in a sea of addiction, despair, and loneliness. How many people are able to acheive a level of intimacy, acceptance, and love for a pet that they could never achieve with another human being. It makes you wonder “what’s a pet got that another person doesn’t have?” After reading Tails it seems pets offer many things that humans do not. On a practical level service animals can help the hearing or sight impaired. I have even read about dogs and cats that can sense when a diabetic is experiencing a low blood sugar reaction. Somehow I learned from reading Tails that what pets offer humans on a practical or intellectual level comes no where near what they offer on an emotional or spiritual level. I have much to learn and Tails has started me on that path. Pets and humans need touch, companionship, and play time. Otherwise, I think we miss out on the many joys life has to offer. I may or may not ever get a pet but I certainly appreciate the time I spend petting and playing with others’ pets. Tails has taught me to see animals in an entirely new light.

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Comment on Not a “pet person.” by Salty Dog