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.
The first time we met Mikita at the shelter, he hopped up on my husband, Rich’s lap. Anyone who is owned by a cat knows this means, “You’ve been chosen!” Mikita had an injured knee and a couple other minor issues so we had to wait a few weeks until he was cleared to go home with us. We visited him a few times at the shelter and each time we were sad to leave. His big eyes stared back at us but we knew it wouldn’t be long.
The first night we brought him home, Mikita reveled in his new space. Our home was instantly his and we were so excited to give him the life he deserved! Mikita was our first pet together and we wanted to learn all about not only him, but cats in general. We educated ourselves on behavior, nutrition and what it takes for a cat to be truly happy in a home. We trained Mikita to sit, give paw and fist bump. He’s smart, driven and we’ve bonded with him more than we ever knew possible.
After four years, we decided it was time to adopt another fur child. We weren’t sure how Mikita would respond, so choosing the best friend for him would be important. Enter Dahlia, a former breeding cat who needed to be re-homed. After meeting her, we knew she’d be a good match. She was smart, playful and the same age as Mikita. Both cats are Betas and after a slow, proper introduction, their friendship has grown into grooming sessions, playtime together and more!
Mikita and Dahlia are our family. Mikita is a talkative little peanut who loves to be held, and Dahlia is a sweet lil lady learning to live the easy life after breeding. We talk to them (everyone does, right?) and give them more kisses than they probably want. But that’s because they’re family, not property. We think about everything that goes into their body and we work hard on communicating with them. We just want them to be happy. I think that’s ultimately what every pet parent wants and that’s why I want to give the voiceless a voice. Our laws should protect all of our family. Even the ones with paws and fur.
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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