Must love dogs

I love animals. Not in like a super activist or tree hugger way, but I don’t like to see animals mistreated. It’s my opinion that if you adopt a pet, you’re supposed to take care of it. It’s not disposable like trash and not something you can return like shoes. I usually don’t trust people who don’t like animals and I can’t stand people who are cruel to them. I really can’t handle the SPCA commercials that come on. I want to cry and empty my bank account when I see them (which I suppose, is the point).

I have a cat and a little dog. I don’t have kids, and they are my babies.  My pets get me through the lonelier parts of being a military wife. They just seem to know when something isn’t right and I am so grateful for that. I try to make sure they get the best care possible. I realize people can’t always afford to do that, but since I adopted them, I feel it’s my responsibility, and since they take care of me too, it’s the least I can do. I like my pets better than I like most people and that’s saying something.

The following story is one of many reasons why I stopped hanging out with the wives at our current base. The names have been changed, not because they may read this, but because I didn’t think it was fair to call them out.

Cara was one of the few wives I had some things in common with here at this base. She was nice enough, but I always got the impression she was sort of looking down on me. Maybe it’s me, but she just had that sort of tone. She was very much the “this is what you signed up for” wife and she definitely wasn’t a fan of my “I don’t remember signing anything” attitude. She emailed me one afternoon to ask if I’d like to come over for some Thursday night television I hadn’t been out in a while and our husbands were deployed, so I agreed. Cara also invited Allie over, a wife I’d never met.

Allie is about my age and had a petite frame even though she was several months into her pregnancy. She had a sweet face, but that was about it. She didn’t introduce herself when she came in, she just ignored me and started talking to Cara.  She definitely talked down to me every time I saw her, but especially this 1^st meeting. She apologized to Cara for being late and explained why:

Allie: “Sorry I’m late, I was at the stupid vet’s office with my friend watching her waste money. She has this old dog and he was sick so she took him to the vet and wasted all kinds of money on him. Where I’m from when a dog gets sick, you put him down. You take him out back and shoot him. None of this wasting money business people do here.”

Me: (trying to be nice, but thinking WTF?!?) “Well, maybe her dog is important to her, mine rides in the car with me when I travel.”

Allie: “See, that’s dumb. Animals were meant to live outside, not with us or in the car. People are so stupid about animals these days. Where I’m from, they live outside.”

Me: “I guess it’s different where I’m from. My pets are family.” (There were SO many things I wanted to say instead. I didn’t feel the need mention that 2 months prior I spent a small fortune at the vet getting my pets’ teeth cleaned because dental problems can make animals seriously ill.)

She went on for a little while and seemed really displeased that I even spoke. I thought it was pretty gutsy to tell me something I did was dumb on the 1^st meeting, but whatever. I also found it sad that Cara, who has 2 old cats, didn’t say a word. I should also mention that Allie wasn’t the first wife I’d heard talk about pets like they weren’t living things, but she was by far the worst. Although, I am sure this is not the way most wives are, it just sort of struck me.

I should make mention that I am not one of those pet owners who carries my dog in a purse or something. He does ride with me in the car when I travel home to Florida for things, but what dog doesn’t love the car? I’m also not saying that an animal should suffer if they are ill, but Allie just sounded cold when she talked about this.

I’m, not saying that you must love dogs for me to like you, but I don’t put up with people who are cruel to animals.