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, my family had 5 miniature schnauzers over 18 years. Disney, Epcot, Kelli, Cookie, and Rascal were my best friends. They loved me when I needed some extra support through all the growing pains and when the other kids my age weren’t too friendly. I think we all go through periods in our lives when we don’t feel accepted and I can’t imagine going through those very tough years without the unconditional love of my dogs. I knew after a childhood filled with plenty of pups, I would never want to live without one as an adult.
About 6 years ago on a freezing cold rainy morning in New York, I walked into work and the first face I saw was a smiling Samoyed. Running towards me was the happiest floofiest face and it made all my misery dissipate into thin air. That’s the moment I fell in love with Samoyeds and knew I had to have my own one day. Living in New York City made it difficult to have a large dog so even though I yearned so badly for my own, I had to wait and one of the big reasons I actually moved to California was to make that happen!
Fast forward to now, my dog Carl is my best friend. I may have grown up with plenty of furry friends but having your own is a new experience. You truly don’t understand the bond that is created until you are their number 1. He holds me accountable when I’m feeling less than motivated, he makes me smile when everything else seems to be spinning, and so many new extraordinary people have come into my life because of him. He’s goofy, energetic, loving, attentive, and I would be devastated if anything happened to him. It’s hard to imagine my life before him and it’s even harder to imagine him being viewed as property.
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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