Friends Fur Life

The vigil tonight was very moving.  Thank you to all who came out and braved the rain so we could honor this dog!  We had a nice group holding candles and umbrellas while thinking about the dogs who have passed away.  For anyone interested, here is the little speech I gave.  To clarify, the Blevins are Buddy’s owners, and Nancy and Maureen were the organizers of this event.

Today we are here to honor not only the life of Buddy but all those whose lives were tragically cut short in much the same way.  While we could just sit here and place blame on those responsible, and there is plenty of blame to go around, it’s important we take a step back and examine the real situation here. 

            Though Spotsylvania Animal Control may have been the catalyst for such a deplorable act, they really are only a product of our Disposable Dog Society.  We are a society peopled with the mentality that dogs are here for our purpose only, and once we no longer need them, we can simply throw them away.  We are plagued with an “It’s just a dog” ideology that leaves our four-legged friends caught in the crossfire.  Think about how many times you have heard people utter that callous and insensitive phrase.  For every person that actually says it, many more are still thinking it. 

            Take what happened to Buddy as possibly one of the most blatant examples.  When the Blevins learned their family companion had been euthanized, where did they find him?  Cremated in an urn?  Buried in a respectable plot?  No, they found him literally in the trash can, headed out shortly for the landfill!  Our most faithful friends give us love, devotion and time, and all they ask is for an occasional pat on the head.  In return, we thank them by turning them into nothing more than refuse.  Now, I’m not here to argue whether we should treat dogs the same or better than humans.  We may all have differing viewpoints on that subject.  However, everyone here should agree that dogs should be treated better than garbage!             

            Unfortunately, that’s exactly how many people seem to view them.  The animal cruelty laws are lax at best, and that’s if they are even enforced.  People dump their dogs at shelters or into the streets at the first sign of inconvenience.  So what can we do about it?  How can we ensure that others don’t end up like Buddy?  We can get active.  We can contact our representatives, those that we elect and whose salaries we pay out of our tax dollars, and tell them how important non-human animals are to us.  We can adopt dogs from shelters or rescues, or make sure only to buy from respectable breeders.  We can show the world that just because dogs can’t speak our language, that doesn’t mean they are disposable. 

            And tonight, when we go home, we can hug our own dogs a little tighter, thank them for being who they are, and for helping to shape who we are.  And while we are curled up next to our favorite furry companion, we can say a prayer for all the ones languishing in shelters, waiting for a home that will never come.  And lastly, we can spare a thought to all the dogs like Buddy, out on the street, lost and scared, praying that the one that does happen to find them won’t think that they are disposable.  Because to people like you and me, to people like Nancy, Maureen, and the Blevins, it’s not just a dog.

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