CANES AMANDI SUNT

Well, Gentle Readers, the little bulldog who could just knocked over the doggie food container right after I had filled it with a new bag of Pedigree. Everybody ate their supper off the floor tonight, including me. Mmmmmmmm kibble.

Robin, who was supposed to be at death's door by now, gets stronger and hardier every day. Her ribs don't stick out anymore. She still loves to sleep in bed with me and wherever I go in the house, she goes. I am bulldog besotted.

She continues to take an anti-inflammatory each morning with breakfast, but it's been a few weeks since she needed a pain pill. The sad look is gone from her eyes. The limp is gone. I just wish the great big tumor hanging off her belly were gone.

So now is when I take people to task for not caring for their pets. Of course, MY Gentle Readers take care of their helpless darlings, but if some non-gentle reader stumbles across this message, then SHAME ON YOU!

I know I told you that Robin came to me as a foster dog because of my son's young lady love, but I don't think I told you how Robin came to be at the emergency clinic where Julia works as a vet tech.

Some kind people were driving in the country and saw a dog running by the road. She was limping. They thought she had been hit by a car, so they took her to the emergency clinic.

Robin hadn't been hit by a car. Some stupid ***** had dumped her when they realized she was sick.

She was limping because she has bone cancer. The tumor hanging off her belly is there because she has mammary cancer.

She has a scar around her neck from a chain.

The vet said if the bone cancer had been caught early on, she could have had one front leg amputated, and, knowing her, she'd manage just fine on three legs.

She has the mammary cancer because she has been bred God Only Knows how many times, and because she has teats, she could get the mammary cancer. Julia said that if dogs don't have teats, then they don't get mammary cancer.

This beautiful, loyal, adorable bulldog has been mistreated to the nth degree, and all I can do is give her these last happy months. And we are happy together.

And what about you, dog and cat owners?

HAVE YOUR PETS SPAYED OR NEUTERED!

There are too many unwanted dogs and cats in the world as it is. Quit breeding more, you greedy, sick pigs.

Oh, pardon me - I shouldn't insult pigs that way.

You greedy sick assholes?

And if you're not going to take care of animals, then don't get any. Dogs are pack animals. They need to be part of the family. Therefore, dogs need to live in the house. Get a dog and stick the poor thing in your back yard because for some unknown reason you want a dog and you are going to have one miserable, lonely dog. Oh, but I feed him every day and he has a flea collar. Dumb shit. Dogs have feelings too.

When God gave humankind dominion over the animals, it didn't mean that we were supposed to treat animals cruelly. It means we are supposed to be their caretakers. Unless creatures are supposed to live in the wild and do so, they are dependent on us.

And they will reward us with such devotion and love and loyalty and everything that is good in this world, and in Robin's case, some of the most amazing gas ever smelled.

But I swear sometimes she looks at me in bed and I know she's thinking, She who smelt it dealt it.




But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12: 7-10)

With infinities of love and much gratitude that I have this time with Robin, (although summer will not come again),

Lola

CANES AMANDI SUNT = Latin for The Dogs Must Be Loved