No Christmas puppies

With the start of the Christmas shopping season just around the corner (a mere 60 hours away if you plan on hitting those 5:am sales on Friday morning), it’s a great time to remind people that the holidays are not a good time to add a new pet to the family.  Gina Spadafori offers 30 reasons for No Christmas Puppies in her great blog.  While I’ve never bought a “Christmas puppy”, I’m guilty of buying a puppy mill dog from a pet store—I bought a Westie back in 1992, because the Internet still wasn’t a big thing, and I couldn’t seem to find a Westie breeder where I lived.  It was a mistake—the dog had kennel cough and a tough case of coccidia, and ended up costing hundreds of dollars in veterinary bills on top of her hundreds of dollars price tag.  Lesson learned.  I desperately tried to talk my mother out of buying a dog from a pet store a couple of years ago, but I think she succumbed to the “animal shelters are too depressing” problem and bought a puppy anyway.  It’s been healthy, and it’s a nice dog, but she paid far too much money for one of those oxymoronic “purebred mixed breeds”.  I know animal shelters are strapped for cash, but I think many of them need extreme makeovers so they’re more cheery and inviting.  The old Clark County animal shelter, which closed earlier this year, was like an ancient prison inside.  It was like something from a Dickens’ novel—it was grey and damp and dark and depressing.  Even the current, “new” city shelter is depressing and bland.  I understand that cinderblock walls are durable, but I think if a few hundred dollars was spent on some bright yellow paint and some cute posters, people would be more apt to visit.  I really appreciate that Petsmart and Petco are allowing rescue groups adoption space in their stores—I’m sure it’s a win/win situation.

Chloe the non-stray cat has taken up residence in the Rubbermaid dog house on our front porch.  She sleeps curled up in the back of the house, on a blanket, and I’m even seeing her now during the day.  I worry I’m doing the wrong thing by feeding her and “encouraging” her to come around daily, but on the other hand, she’s already outside and I’d rather she park herself on our safe front step than try to cross the busy street (she’s a black cat, so she’s especially hard to see at night).  She’s a wee bit of a thing.  I know from speaking to her owner that she’s not allowed inside the house, so I don’t feel that I’m preventing her from being someplace more safe.  How do I know if she’s warm enough?

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 11/22 at 09:11 PM

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