Laddie the Collie - A Guest Entry

A Preface from the Webmaster ... There are a lot of mistreated pets out there. However, one thing I've learned over the years is that things are not always as they seem. Some pets appear to be well cared for yet suffer neglect and mistreatment within the household where noone can see. In other cases, outside pets may seem to appear scruffy or unhappy when in fact they are actually very well cared for and content. Laddie's story appears to be such a case. Laddie, had led more of a serious life than most pets. His initial owner suffered from cancer and allergies and when Laddie was 16 months she had to let him go. This is when Judith met the serious faced, yet beautiful collie, whose story and affection she could not resist. Judith and her family had recently suffered several painful events themselves, beginning with the loss of their beloved Bouvier des Flanders, Jacques-oh!, to an enlarged heart. Later, in that same week, they had received word that Judith's beloved sister's husband had died. In addition, her mother, whom they share their home with, had recently been diagnosed with Oviduct cancer. Laddie was a godsend to Judith and her family and a great source of love and comfort in these stressful times. Recently, someone, possibly a neighbor, had called the animal control center, to complain that Laddie was barking too much and that he was not being properly cared for. The following is an excerpt from Judith's polite response to the animal control officer concerning this matter Begin Guest Journal Entry from Judith ... "Laddie was a Godsend...he came as a wonderful comforter, and is my greatest stress reliever! However, the little tyke is very focused on his habits and refuses to eat or drink until he is in the house with us at suppertime! When he comes in, I MUST start making dinner (he literally herds me into the kitchen!) and he won't partake of his dinner until we are seated and eating! If I go into the kitchen again to get something, he stops eating and follows me in, worrying at me until I get back to my dinner, and then he finally flops down and eats his! Have you ever watched a Collie eat? Mayhaps Laddie IS a bit unusual - he lays himself down right in front of his food dish, pushes his food around with his Jimmy Durante nose - and slurps it up! He won't drink his water (kept in our bedroom) until he has finished dinner and has tried to herd us into the bedroom for the evening! He is very habituated to his routine and has trained us as his pets! He is very neurotic when it comes to loud noises, and he becomes a lap dog at those times. Then he most certainly weighs enough! He is a lovely and very sweet dog, and, unfortunately, very very spoiled by yours truly. His fur suffers a bit because I have Fibromyalgia and I find it almost impossible to get down to his level to comb him. We usually have him professionally groomed, but I just retired from work, and no money is coming in for such niceties at present. You will be pleased to discover that he is a very happy and well behaved (except when he gets overexcited!) chap - there is not a mean bone in his body. His weight is around 60 pounds, which to me seems light (makes it easier for him to fly?), but his veterinarian says is ideal for his bone structure. We feed him Science Diet for optimum health, offering him tidbits of his favorite food now and then - avocado skins and dried banana chips! We keep him on a light chain because he is such a friendly little guy, and has found numerous ways to exit our fenced backyard! I have heard it said that the Collie's motto is "gravity is a bummer"! If he sees a cat, a child, anyone walking in the alley - that is an excuse to fly out to play with them! He is so beautiful in motion - like a flame! But he won't come back when called... He sleeps most of the day - on rainy days when we keep him indoors, he will go to his bed in our bedroom and sleep there, just as he would under his wonderfully shady maple tree out back! Again - a creature of habit! Well, sometimes he does come into our office and try winningly for our attention! Hope this helps - please come out personally and meet Laddie - he is a lover! Bring a treat! Amend that last - Laddie says bring avocado skins!" ... End of Guest Journal Entry A Closing Comment from the Webmaster ... At A Pets Blog, we are big believers in reporting potential animal abuse cases. I'd like to thank all those out there who notify the proper authorities when they sincerely think someone's pets or other animals are being mistreated, and I encourage them continue doing so. However, remeber to keep an open mind as to the findings. You may very well find out that the pets of concern were well cared for after all, in which situation the case should be dropped completely. In other cases, pets may be well loved but the owners may merely be misinformed or unknowledgeable regarding pet care practices. In which case the animal welfare officer could provide some helpful advice. Or, unfortunately, the complaint may end up being well warranted in which case the pets should be removed from the abusing owner. For the pets' welfare, it never hurts to investigate, just be fair in the findings if you find out that your complaint is not valid after all.