If you want your children, or nieces or nephews, to share your compassion for animals, do what my Dad did - model it for them. Encourage those around you to treat animals with respect, and leave your own legacy of kindness.
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My dad passed away ten years ago. I’ve been thinking about him, with Father’s Day coming up tomorrow. I realize that the most valuable inheritance I received from him had nothing to do with money. My dad had a great sense of humor, a strong sense of fair play, and an abiding love for his family. It is from him that I got my love for animals.
I remember he visited my house when I had a dog that was nineteen years old. He went into the bedroom where she was napping (something old dogs tend to do a lot) and just sat and watched her sleep. When I came in, he said in a reverent voice, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog that old.” He believed that everyone – people and animals – deserved to be treated with respect.
From my dad, I learned that when you take on the responsibility for an animal, you have to put some effort into caring for it. As a child, I watched him create a mush of canned dog food thinned with milk and water. He heated it in a disposable aluminum pie plate over a pan of boiling water, in order to feed our new puppy who was barely weaned. As the days went by he would gradually work in more dry food until the puppy was eating just fine. That puppy – my first pet - grew into a great little dog that was devoted to my father.
From my dad, I learned to relate to an animal as a personality, because each one is different. And when you let an animal’s unique traits come out, you’ll understand better how to get along with the pet, so you can enjoy each other. I’ve been told that somehow I manage to find the best pets - but I’m not sure that’s true. I think I look for the best in each pet, and encourage that, thanks to what I learned from my dad.
And from my dad, I learned how to say goodbye to my old dog when it was time, while appreciating all the good times and the special moments – a hard lesson to learn. In the years since I said my final goodbye to my dad, I have appreciated even more all the lessons I learned from him. Thanks, Dad.
This Father’s Day, consider those who follow in your footsteps and the legacy you may leave for them, even when you’re speaking of pets.
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