The Kerstin Eggers letter, which I regard as a letter (a humorous letter) “on the side of the dogs,” prompted me to write this now. When all the letters were being written about dog/owner behavior, I was going through the illness and eventual death of my wonderful great Dane. She always had good health so it was an unexpected shock — within four to six weeks she was gone from this material realm. I could not believe some of those letters back then. I thought of myself and all the responsible dog owners that I know and remembered all the times that we got up extra early to run our dogs (to avoid as many people as possible), carried plastic bags for poop collecting (also used many times to pick up other trash!), and were constantly on patrol to avoid the trouble-making dogs. I wanted to respond then but nursing my dog until her death was my first priority. Incidentally, I was fortunate that my dog’s black lab “boyfriend” had Dr. Graulich as his veterinarian, since Dr. Graulich makes house calls. After a busy work day, Dr. Graulich and his assistant came to our home and were able to help this lovely dog make the transition from life to death. The joy and love this magnificent animal gave to us and all who encountered her can never be told in words! It is this joy that I would like to address.
There are so many ways that pets improve the lives of humans. As a doctor of psychology, I have seen depressed individuals “come alive” when visited by specially trained “therapist” dogs, witnessed AIDS and cancer patients prolong their life through interactions with pets, and enjoyed watching a 9-year-old epileptic change from an unsure, paranoid child to a child who can play without fear because her pet dog can sense when she will have a seizure allowing her time to prepare. Unfortunately, I also have seen animals abused — used for “ego building,” and making money. These horrible episodes can be researched but usually the animal activists are the only ones brave enough to react. A dog, for instance, just wants to be your buddy and can sense your mood — think, for one example, of the unfortunate dog who has an alcoholic for an owner — lots of mood swings there! The real issue, as always, is the behavior of humans! As L.P. Lerner’s letter said, “Talk to your neighbor” — talk to the visitor — show tolerance! I am one who also feels that dogs should be allowed to run on the beach. I am fortunate to have a private-entrance beach but don’t abuse that privilege. Before going to the beach I always walked my dog first, so she would do her poop before getting on the beach. I carried a plastic bag for any poop “accidents” but the bag usually ended up filled with plastic cups, bottles, and other trash instead — there are more toxic things on that beach than dog poop! I also tried to walk my dog on the beach during the quieter times and never on weekends. The joy of walking my dog is greatly missed — I know that the time will come when I will be ready to get another dog/companion and hope that by then human behavior will have improved and the dog letters will be a thing of the past.
Alessandra DeClario