Paul Harvey's “Ten Commandments for a Responsible Pet Owner”

I want to share with you something I heard on Paul Harvey not long ago. It’s entitled, “Ten Commandments for a Responsible Pet Owner” as dictated by the pet.

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainments. But I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, and yet I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long or my heart might be getting old or weak.

10. On the difficult journey, on the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there. Because I love you so.

Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them.

Life would be a much duller, less joyful thing without God’s critters. Please pass this on to other pet owners.

I know what you mean about going to the shelter or PetSmart or PetCo ... I can't walk by the cages without wanting to take all of them home. When I win the lottery, all of the stray local cats around here are going to be neutered or spayed and the local pet shelter (2nd Chance Animal Shelter in Killeen, TX) is going to find itself the beneficiary of a sizable donation.

But I've done what I can to save some local kittens (and, as it turned out, myself) ... I have four females in the house .. five, if you count my wife [smile] ..

Mitzi .. gray, black, and white .. was abandoned by her mother on our patio. We probably surprised the mother while she was moving her litter and she dropped Mitzi (all of 4.5 ounces) at the time. We nursed her for a few weeks .. I remember the 2AM feedings .. and now, seven and a half years later, she's Queen of the house at 14.5 pounds, holding herself aloof from us mere mortals. When my late wife died, I don't know what I would have done without Mitzi. She came down from her ivory tower and spent the next few lonely months comforting me.

Gracie .. a tortoiseshell calico .. came bounding up onto the porch out of the darkneess into my new wife's arms three Thanksgivings ago. Her role is the Rebel Duchess, constantly trying to find ways to annoy Mitzi. All of 10 pounds now, she is friendly when she wants to be but can turn on you in a second.

Rhiannon .. all gray .. and Sarah-Michael .. a dirty-white Siamese with black tips on her tail, ears, and muzzle .. are the new little Princesses of the manor. Both were adopted from litters born under our patio on Flag Day of 2009. Each at right around five pounds, they're playful and always hungry for attention. Rhiannon is the lap cat, always crawling up onto your lap or shoulders and falling asleep. Sarah-Michael is a "foot" cat; she doesn't really like to be held, but adores being petted and curling up next to you.

They've all been spayed and had their front claws removed and have free run of the house and the back porch. The back porch is enclosed with wooden lattice so they get the feel of being outside without the danger of actually being outside.

Heh. Tell me about it.

It was a couple of years before I had my own home with a yard when I came back stateside, where I felt I could responsibly have a dog. During those painful years, I yearned so. LOL

Once settled, I made an appointment with a breeder to see his litter ... only one male left he said ...so I rushed over. He pulled out the “male” and as I was playing with the pup, noticed it wasn’t a male. Ahem. He put her back into the kennel and I played with the male in front of me. The female, was so upset ...she yelped a scratched at the kennel door with a fury.

After negotiating a price, on my way to the car with the male, I turned around and asked the breeder, “How much for two?”

I was suckered. She turned out to be one the finest dogs I ever owned. The male, not so much.

Take someone level-headed with you when you go. That’s my advice. ;)

Thank you for that post, I enjoyed it very much.

I will now be shopping all week and by next weekend, I should have a cat for my 18 month old GSD to start getting used to. He should be fine, he adjusted to our free range chickens very quickly. ;>)

Falco gets a raw quarter chicken a day with his meal, so I had worried that he would see them as walking snacks, but he decided they were just something else that he needed to watch over and protect.

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