I’ve always been a devoted pet owner, and thus animals are very important to me. It infuriates me when they are mistreated or abused. I believe that having civility means extending kindness to animals, even if they are not your own pets.
Imagine my dismay when an acquaintance of mine shared this upsetting story. She and her husband were visiting family out of town for the day. They were unable to take their dog with them, so they asked a close co-worker, who had always volunteered her services, to kindly watch the dog for the day, until they got back. She heartily accepted, and so they drove the dog over with a bag filled with his leash, some toys, and two cans of dog food.
When they got back, they could hear the dog whining at the door. The woman watching him immediately complained that he had made a mess in her home. The dog was house-trained, so this was a surprise. They asked her if she’d taken the dog out for a walk, and she said no, it’d been too cold. The dog really didn’t have much choice. When they looked in the bag they’d brought over, the toys and one can of dog food were still inside. The woman explained that she’d only fed him once because she couldn’t stand the smell and she figured they would be home soon. So not only was the poor dog not let out or played with, but he was not fed, either.
Needless to say, the dog’s owners were outraged. If they’d asked her to babysit, would she have let the child go hungry? To them, their dog is their child, and to not even carry out the basic responsibilities of caring for him was shameful.
Pets may not be for everyone, but you shouldn’t take on the responsibility of caring for one if you can’t handle it. Laziness is no excuse!