Pets are Family, Not Property: Kelly Bove

 

 

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

 

Envy joined our family on New Year’s Day 2010 when she was 3 years old. At that time, she had already been through 3 homes and she knew nothing of what a stable family was. It was because of Envy that my husband and I met just a few months after I adopted her. She was worried, timid, and unaware of so many things. The first time I squeaked a toy she ran away (fast forward to now… she comes running at the sound of toys!!)

 

Next came Zain in early 2014. We took him in as a foster from a Border Collie rescue and my goal was to train and work with him to help make him more adoptable. He, too, had been bounced around between multiple family members before landing in rescue at 15 months old. He is the sweetest dog you could ever meet- he lives to please and wants nothing more than to make people happy (ok, he also loves to play, probably equally as much). Two weeks after he came to the house as a foster we knew he wasn’t going anywhere-he and Envy hit it off like they had known each other all their lives. 

 

 

Trek was born in rescue in November 2016. His mom was surrendered pregnant and gave birth a few short weeks after arriving. Trek is a character, to put it simply : ) He is goofy, excited, and eager. He puts 110% into everything he does, and he lives his life to the fullest…always. 

 

All three pups love learning new tricks, playing ball in the yard and going for walks…Oh, and the camera! They get so excited at the sight of the camera. 

 

 

Envy, Zain, and Trek bring so much love and joy to our lives. Dogs have a way of doing that. They teach us about love and kindness and how to live your life in the moment. They teach us to enjoy the journey. How can our pets be considered property? As living, breathing beings, they deserve so much more than to be considered “property.” Our dogs are family, always and forever. We refuse to refer to them as anything other than that, and because of this we are signing the ALDF pledge, and encourage you to sign and share it too.

 

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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Kelly Bove

Envy, Zain, and Trek are three rescue Border Collies who love learning new tricks, playing ball and posing for the camera ;)

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