Imbalance

Puppy Prozac? Kitty diabetes? Pet psychiatrists who can offer therapy sessions in the comfort of your own home? Canine obesity medication that costs $3 a day (or whatever they said)(!) ...and pet "accessories" like custom birthday cakes with beef pureé between layers instead of cream cheese filling and I'm not even going to mention animal clothing, jewelry and beauty salon style treatments including coloring...did I mention the most provocative trend; pet health insurance?!

Clearly, some people should not have custody of an animal. Even the Dog Whisperer alerts the public that many owners have rendered their dog psychotic because they have failed to recognize and nurture their 'dogness'. Dogs need to sniff and lick inappropriate places to be balanced. They require regular opportunities to roll in something putrid and smelly; preferably both. A dog is not happy in a wedding gown or confined inside a condo with white carpet all day long.

Is your pooch fat? Take him on a walk. For pete's sake, how do people even begin to think like this? There should be some public outrage about insensitivity towards species culture, or a fine for species-confusion abuses.

It is not acceptable that some people consider their pet to be their "child". When people have a child who will never speak or be able to provide for his own needs, they do not dress him in costumes. A child is not a pet, and a cat will never carry on the family name. Why don't these child-hungry people adopt the real thing?

Don't get me wrong, many of my best spiritual experiences have revolved around a relationship with an animal. I really like them. I reject the illogical compulsion to seriously assign human-like qualities to someone who - if given his 'druthers - would always choose to act like an animal. We should celebrate this natural proclivity of "Ginger" to be true to her breed. We should be careful to separate our affection for living creatures from our intimate and larger bond with and responsibility to our own flesh and blood.

Although ~ come to think of it, I have seen many children who resembled pampered, over-indulged or exploited and miserably undisciplined pets...

I guess if two people can ride in a cab from New York to Arizona because they didn't want to insult their 2 cats by stashing them in the cargo hold of a plane, well, I suppose we're doomed to whatever consequences result from our choice of indulgences.

It would be kind of ironic if one of those cats developed an allergy to Sedona, wouldn't it? Or better yet, maybe they will hire a lawyer and submit a petition for emancipation because their input was not considered in the removal from their place of nativity...oh, yeah, this could be good. Let's wait and see.