| In our crazybusy, "no time for a committed | | | | specially selected from temperaments that allow |
| relationship" culture, the need to draw time and | | | | them to adapt when moved from home to home? |
| emotional boundaries has extended into our | | | | Having seen "The Kite Runner," I can surely see the |
| relationships with even man's best friend. An article in | | | | resilience of the human spirit and the remarkable |
| the December 17 Boston Globe featured a story | | | | ability to survive and even work with even the most |
| about a new company "that plans to rent dogs to | | | | aversive living conditions. But why contribute to that |
| Bostonians willing to pay steep fees for a canine | | | | environment? Why pitch in to the cultural disconnect |
| friend without worry of a commitment." | | | | that makes all things relational commodified, |
| Consider this a "canine escort service," where the | | | | expendable, something to pick up and discard at |
| increasingly self-centered professional pays for a | | | | whim? |
| "time share" in some doggie's schedule. A weekend | | | | I would rather see the dog-hungry urban professional |
| doggie date, if you will, for long-walks along the | | | | visiting Buddy Dog or the MSPCA and taking their |
| beach, and some cuddly companionship on the sofa | | | | charges for a Saturday stroll. Why make a profit on |
| or in the bedroom. | | | | something that could be done as community service, |
| While FlexPetz, the dog rental service, bills itself as | | | | with just as much emotional reward? And donate the |
| 'an unique alternative to full-time pet ownership," | | | | foregone rental fee to pay for dog food? |
| some local animal rights groups and animal | | | | Or better yet, put some time into human |
| behaviorists beg to disagree. In our disposable | | | | relationships, and find a friend or two with whom you |
| society, now even our four-legged companions | | | | can "share" the responsibilities of caring for a canine? |
| become disposable. Dogs, just like people, do far | | | | or feline? It takes a village for most anything these |
| better in a stable, committed environment than a | | | | days. Can we resurrect a bit of the village in place of |
| revolving door of narcissistic part-time animal "lovers." | | | | the commercial structures that take the village's |
| I remember when people used to say, "skip the | | | | place? |
| boyfriend or girlfriend...get a dog," when the fear of | | | | I sit reflecting my thoughts, with Flora, our Birman |
| emotional involvement, time or commitment reared | | | | cat, perched on my left shoulder, Querido, our |
| its ugly head. Now it's, "skip the long-term | | | | Siamese kitten stretching on my printer, and Toss, |
| relationship...go casual" even on the animal frontier. | | | | our former feral Buddy Dog rescue cat sacked out |
| FlexPetz's president and CEO reported, "the dogs | | | | on a nearby chair. Golden our English lab is crying, |
| often come from shelters and are specially selected | | | | reminding me that instead of writing about dogs, it is |
| for temperaments that can withstand the weekly | | | | time to take him outside for his turn! Better heed the |
| uprooting." Is this akin to saying foster children are | | | | hound! |