Sunday started out lovely. Went to a movie with Ming. On our way into the movie, we see the sweetest “action” ad for new movie called Marley and Me . Sure enough there were Moms with their darling tots dancing and smiling reaching and wanting to touch the adorable Marley.
As I hear one of the mother’s say to her children, the hair on the back of my neck stands up. Because she says “would you like a puppy like this for Christmas ?” Can you imagine the hell that lies ahead for this sweet puppy? The little chubby hands grabbing, pinching, strangling and pulling this poor little puppy as the mother sits with her cup of coffee and cigarette . Ok, we can substitute cigarette for the iphone or blackberry, or any distraction a young mother is looking for. She found it; now she has a built in babysiter that is bought and paid for. An entertainment factory 24/7. Now that sweet puppy is getting spanked because of accidents that the puppy left due to the abuse which is called TLC from the child. Please understand- I am not blaming the child. Children do what children do. They don’t know their little hands can strangle the puppy or do they understand that laying on top of the puppy can break its bones. Now heaven forbid that this puppy defend itself from one of the little darlings, because they are pulling its tail across the room, and in turn bite back. Puppy is now beaten and taken to the first animal shelter Mom or Dad can find. Upon checking in, the clerk says this the 6th puppy brought in today for not being the adorable puppy the adults once thought. I wish I was making this up. Sad to say I’m not. I have different friends working in shelters that talk about the epidemic of puppies returned after a puppy movie comes out. Remember 101 Dalmatians? What a nightmare for the shelters. Oh I forgot , the Beverly Hills Chihuahua movie that just came out. They are even smaller and more fragile. Imagine one chihuahua in each small hand — crunch. God, help the puppies.
Now all kidding aside this may sound exaggerated but it’s not. We need to speak up to our friends, and family about wanting to get a dog puppy for their small children. I truly believe with proper and consistent guidance that a dog and child can grow to be best friends. That’s where there responsible adult parent comes in.
azita rayet says
Hi Candy!
I couldn’t finish reading this because of how emotional I became. It seriously breaks my heart to even think what could possibly happen to these poor little ones. Maybe I’m just a crazy dog lover, but all I know is that these babies are the most beautiful creatures on this plant. For every oz of love you give them you’ll get so much more back from them. I really dislike it when parents think a puppy or a kitten is just another toy for their kids. These are living, breathing creatures. They are just little babies. They need to be nurtured and loved and taken care of. Just a few days ago I saw this little kid that had a chihuahua on a leash and was pulling him by the neck while his parents were walking ahead of him. I couldn’t stop myself from saying “oh my god you’re going to break his neck”. The parents gave me the dirtiest look and turned around and told their son “don’t pull him so hard”. I know it’s not the little boys fault, but the puppy doesn’t deserve that either. I appreciate all the awareness Candy and Ming are bringing on this website. Please let us all appreciate these beautiful creatures, respect them, love them and treat them the way we would want to be treated.
Thank you candy,
Azita
Beth says
In formulating my thoughts here I hope they don’t come across as Pollyanna-ish or judgemental because that’s not at all my intention – that being said – here goes.
I was with a group of Reiki practitioners and we were talking about the precepts. It came up when we spoke about the precept “Do Not Worry” that it is often human nature to expect the worst, and then, of course, we worry.
Worry is a big challenge for me. But each time I contemplate the precepts I can’t help but see how all of the precepts are inextricably linked.
For instance – if something bad happens to an animal I know, I worry. I may start to get frustrated (angry) with the owner who may not have handled things the way I would have. (judgemental and not compassionate) So all I have done is put forth a bunch of negativity into the universe and nothing really gets resolved.
Often I have worried myself sick about animals to whom very bad things have happened and things turned out ok. My worry didn’t make that happen. Other times, as just last week while taking care of a cat who became ill, I did not worry because the owner who was a vet seemed aware of the situation, and was having a family member take the cat to her practice where he could be stabilized. The cat died. My worry would not have saved the cat.
So back to the overheard conversation: We don’t know anything about the woman and her small child. Perhaps it was already in the family plan to add a dog to the family some day. Perhaps the woman has owned dogs all her life and knows what a responsibility they are. If not, perhaps she will learn. Perhaps she has a nanny for the child and plans to get a dog walker for the puppy. (Some of my petsitting clients have had me come 3 or 4 times in the space of an 8 hour work day to be sure their pets are excercised and cared for – even when the kids are home)
It’s easy to assume the worst and become jaded after being involved in the world of animals for even a short time. Humans, while being in charge of guardianship of animals have perpetrated terrible suffering on them throughout history. But are there not good and kind people too?
If we become jaded, we become closed. If we are closed we cannot fully be open channels through which the universal energy flows. By working with the precepts as tools, to release worry, anger and other negative emotions, we heal ourselves and in doing so help the planet heal. Not easy, but a worthwhile goal.
Leaming says
Animal Shelters Directory linked a post to this blog!
http://www.animalsheltersdirectory.com/save-the-puppies-from-stupidity/
Annie says
Dear Candy and Ming,
I am so very proud to know you two lovely gals! I just can’t say enough nice things about you both. You both have such love and compassion for both animals and humans! We who know and love you feel truly blessed to know you and we share your concerns. What a beautiful thing you are doing for all us animal lovers and the animals!
You both exude so much passion. and concern in your articles, that it’s a pleasure to spend time reading your blog.
Keep up the good work and God bless!
Annie