A Love Letter

Dear Danny,

Today marks a month that you left to cross the rainbow bridge. I want to tell you that I know you tried to hold on for me, but that you don't need to worry any more. I still miss you so much, and I keep looking around your favorite spots expecting you will be there.

I beat Mass Effect 3, and the victory was hollow because you weren't there to headbutt the controller at the crucial moment in the game. I know I wasn't exactly thrilled when you used to do that, but I'd give anything if you could be here to do it again. I have no one to con me into giving them cans of evaporated milk and no one I have to watch out for when crawling into bed. I miss you, but my life was so much richer for having you in it, that now that you are gone, it's hard to remember a time when I was without you.

I want you to know that I love you and that I will never forget you. I keep your portrait in my room and in the craft room. Thanks for letting me love you, and thank you for loving me.

You will always be my Danny Boy.

Would You Give Someone a New Lease on Life?

I have always loved animals, and I love being surrounded by them. I felt I had to write a blog post on this because I see more and more news articles about people who hoard animals, animal cruelty, and just plain stupidity on the part of people. I myself am more of a dog person than a cat person, but I do have two cats.

What bothered me most this week was an article about a woman who adopted a Great Dane and kept it in a cage that for most of its life. The dog outgrew the cage and had its bones deformed to the point where it could barely walk. Why torture an animal because of your ignorance to research the needs of the breed and their needs? I love dogs, but would not own a Great Dane because I cannot provide it with the type of environment it needs.

With that being said, please also consider adopting your pets from an animal shelter. There are breeders out there that are scrupulous and honest, and genuinely have the welfare of their animals as their primary concern, but there are also breeders that only care about their profit margin. Many shelters are kill shelters; meaning that animals that cannot be placed in a certain time frame must be euthanized. There is no compassion in killing a perfectly healthy animal simply because it has not been adopted, so do your part, and look to a shelter first. It just may be one of the best choices you will ever make.

P.S. Marty the dog and Danny the cat thank you.