A Pet's Place

A Pet’s Place in a Home

“For some people who live in poverty or are homeless, their pets are their children.” So observes the Mustard Seed, an Edmonton non-profit organization that has been caring for people in poverty since 1984. Elderly or single people living by themselves may experience very strong sense of loss if their pet dies. A pet’s unconditional acceptance makes them part of the family with a treasured place in the home.

Introduce a spouse or children into the home. While the pet’s love doesn’t change, their position of importance in the family drops. The need for caring companionship is replaced by ones of greater significance. For the pet that may seem unfair, but their capacity for unconditional acceptance enables them to cope with the change.

 A person’s attachment to its pet is profound as is seen in my novel, Baggage burdens. The death of Butch leaves Joseph in shock even though he inherited his uncle’s dog only two years earlier. The dog had worked its way not only into Joseph’s home but his heart too. The quiet disappearance of Princess, the cat, has little effect. One might hypothesize that the bond between man and dog is naturally stronger and that may be. However, at the time that the cat’s presence drifts away Joseph is married and has a son. They grant him the companionship that he desires.

Thomas and several neighbors were rebuilding a workshop for Joseph. The old one had burned down. A truck carrying lumber spilled its load. Butch was found beneath it. 

“You were devastated,” said Thomas looking at Joseph. 

He had nodded momentarily reliving the event. “Two years earlier I lost Uncle Mike. Then Butch. All I had left was you and Rebecca.” 

Thomas sat with Joseph while the other men picked up the lumber. Then Thomas and Joseph dug a shallow grave for Butch near the spot where he died. After temporarily marking the grave with a stick, Thomas sat with Joseph for the rest of the afternoon by the grave as Joseph talked about his lost friend.

haiku capsule:                 

a dog, man’s best friend

wife, children, nothing’s better

dearest companions

Next blog: Traits of a Good Friend