Did you know that under the law pets are seen as replaceable property? That’s right, the law essentially treats losing a pet the same way as losing a table. In honor of Chloe the Mini Frenchie, Loni Edwards’ beloved dog who passed away due to medical error, PetInsider will be featuring a story every Wednesday about pets being family, not property. Please join us by reading the stories and signing the pledge we created with the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) to push for change.
Growing up, I could not wait for the chance to get my own dog. Upon graduating college, my now-husband and I drove to the North Shore Animal League in New York to check out the dogs up for adoption. Out of the 50 “lab mixes” up for adoption, we knew instantly that the dog meant for us was Brandy. Brandy was a stray puppy found on the side of the road down south. She was very timid and fearful but extremely smart, loyal and loving.
After 2 years, my husband and I decided to get another dog to keep her company during the day while we were at work, and for her to have a companion to play with in the yard. This is when Moose joined the family. Growing up in a small town in Connecticut, I used to pass a farm on the school bus every morning and would see a big, beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog laying in the driveway. It was at that moment I decided I would one day get a BMD and his name would be Moose. Moose is a loud goofball, who constantly makes us laugh. Together, him and Brandy are the best of friends. Having another canine company in our house has really helped bring Brandy out of her shell. It warms my heart to see their special bond.
Now, our day starts with some morning snuggles followed by a walk around the neighborhood. My alarm is actually set 20 minutes earlier than it needs to be to allot for this time. I mean, who wouldn’t want to start their day by cuddling with a big, fluffy dog?!
Not a day goes by where we don’t incorporate the dogs in to our daily schedule, whether it be our routine morning and nighttime walk or a dog friendly weekend getaway. They bring such joy to not only our lives, but our friends and families lives as well.
Wherever we go, they go too. Our pets are not property; they are family. We will be signing the pledge and would love for everyone reading the article to sign to protect our pets as well.
Please join us in pushing for much needed change by signing and sharing the pledge (https://aldf.org/animalsnotproperty). Follow along every Wednesday for a new story, and sign up for our newsletter to receive it in your inbox.
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