By ROBERT JUMPER
One Feather Editor
They relieve themselves in the most inconvenient places and the most inappropriate times. They bark incessantly at a seemingly nonstop line of ghosts. They need food, water, shelter, and attention. Depending on the size, they take over rooms or entire yards, claiming them for their own and daring anyone or anything to step over the line.
And we love them for it.
Pets have become, for many, a necessary part of our lives. And way beyond our need, we lavish them with their wants or our wants.
According to Forbes, “in 2022, Americans spent $136.8 billion on their pets, up 10.68 percent from 2021 ($123.6 billion). Dog owners spend an average of $730 a year on their dogs.”
There are even insurance policies to help offset the rising costs of health care for pets. There is big money and industry in supporting our fetish for animals. Lots of jobs and families depend on our continued love of our pets.
And I am one of the legions of folks who love pets. In my life I have kept turtles, tarantulas, fish, birds, cats, and dogs. For 27 years, I invested time and dollars into three chihuahuas-Petrie, Ruby, and Smoky. When Ruby came into our home, she was an 8-week-old pup. We had bought her toys, including those rubber toys they make for dogs. On one of her first nights, a weekend night, we started to notice swelling in her face. She was very lethargic, and we were concerned that she was dying. With no way to contact a veterinarian on a weekend back then, I decided to try giving Ruby a small dose of Benadryl to deal with the swelling. I stayed up the night with Ruby in my lap. I monitored her throughout the night, making sure she was warm and breathing. Unknown to us, she had an allergy to rubber and latex. The Benadryl was the right call, and she was up and doing puppy things later the next morning.
There is one room in our home that we still refer to as “Smoky’s room” and he has been gone to doggie heaven for 5 years. When each one passed away, there was mourning as normally happens at the loss of a beloved family member. You don’t spend a huge chunk of your life on a living thing and not feel some attachment to it. Many have said, including me, that God placed animals on this earth and made pets to show us how to practice unconditional love. And so it was with my little dogs. No matter my mood, no matter the issue, they were always there. Always in need of love. Always giving love.
It is a sad thing to see when people are so small-minded as to abuse an animal. Studies have shown that cruelty to animals can be an indicator of a future of criminal and even homicidal behavior. Some folks use pets to take out their aggression and inadequacy. They know that if they do the things they do to a pet that they do to a another human being, they would end up in prison. Laws are getting more stringent and better at addressing the cowardly practice of animal abuse, but they are still not strong enough to protect and “mete out justice” to those who choose to abuse.
One abuse that doesn’t get the attention it deserves is the practice of abandonment. When a person is through with a pet, whether they made the juvenile decision to get a puppy thinking that the animal would never grow into an adult, or they buy a pet thinking of it a non-intrusive hobby, they set it out at a dumpster (live litters of puppies have actually been found in trash bags inside of dumpsters), dumped on the roadside, or released into forests. Some folks think they are being kind in these acts, giving the pet a chance for life versus taking them to a pound or shelter. They think that “setting them free” is better than what might await them at a facility. But domesticated pets have a slim chance of any kind of good life in the wild. They have never had to hunt for food and shelter, and for many animals, the instinct for survival that wild animals have has been suppressed for so long that it will not kick in until it’s too late. Those animals that do manage to survive become pariahs of the community, rummaging through trash cans for food, and sleeping in the elements, susceptible to diseases like distemper, rabies, and the like that they were once protected from through vaccination. They become a threat to the community and to other animals.
Agencies like our EBCI Animal Control program and Cherokee Dog Sanctuary are attempting to make life for animals on the Qualla Boundary better. Each provides a stopping off point for stray animals to be rehabilitated and adopted by those who a more conscious of the responsibilities of pet parenthood. Those who know that the most responsible thing you can do for a pet is to have it spay or neutered. “Fixing” a pet is better for the health of the individual animal and for the community (cutting down on the number of unwanted animals and therefore reducing the number of strays). Animal Control specifically accesses each stray they take in for their suitability for rehabilitation to be adopted. They have successfully partnered with agencies like the EBCI Natural Resources Enforcement program of the Tribe, enlisting unwanted pets in the services of drug detection and finding lost and hiding people. And, yes, Animal Control investigates and charges those who are suspected of hurting or killing pets.
With summer heating up, it is time for us to remind ourselves to take precautions for our pets. Make sure that they have plenty of water on these hot, humid days. Pay attention to the outdoor surfaces where your pet is walking. You have seen the pictures of scorched and blistered paw pads. You don’t want that for your pets. And if you do, you need mental help. For tribal members, free rabies shots are available for dogs and cats at the Cherokee Animal Care Clinic. Make sure your pet is protected from this disease. Rabies is a terrible disease that ravages the mind and body of its host. And the infected animal can infect other animals and people. Keep your eye on your outside pets. Minimize the chance of them encountering wild animals like racoons that may infect them with rabies. And even if there is a cost, make up your mind to keep your pets vaccinated and their health is in good shape. The way I see it, when we make up our minds to take up the joy of pet ownership, we also take on the responsibility to provide them with good, healthy lives.
It is up to us what happens to the animals that live on the Qualla Boundary. We have no one to blame but ourselves for the strays that we see on the sides of the road and roaming in our communities. The domestic animals in our care should be treated with respect and benevolence. Some folks don’t have a connection or an affinity for pets. Taking on pet ownership will likely be long-term, filled with time and resource commitment. Pups and kittens are not toys to be petted for a few minutes and put away like a stuffed animal on a shelf. Recognize that that cute little Labrador puppy that bubbles with energy for 15 minutes then turns into a limp noodle for 30 minutes, will within months be a big hound dog bursting with energy (grown Labrador Retrievers are between 55 and 70 pounds), requiring daily exercise and attention. Know that pets have medical needs, just like us, and will potentially require specialized care. They will need you and your commitment. The average dog lives 10 to 13 years. The average cat lives 12 to 18 years. And if you happen to be a reptile lover, say a Leopard tortoise, you are likely to have a lifelong relationship, as they live 50-plus years. Its about the same for exotic birds like the African Gray Parrot.
I realize that some folks won’t get this love letter on behalf of pet ownership. They may look on animals as purely utilitarian. And we have had a working relationship with animals for millennia. Even in those relationships with service animals, there is a standard of care and responsibility for proper treatment that separates human and bestial behavior. It’s called doing the right thing.
