A Place For Pet People

Ramona Mead

Early one recent morning, I was woken by the stirring of my other half. I had barely lifted my head when he calmly said “Don’t roll over. It appears one of the cats has thrown up on me.” He was not upset, or even surprised. We both got up, stumbling a around in the gray predawn light as we cleaned up the cat puke, changed the sheets and went back to bed.

A long time ago, I resigned myself to the belief that I could either have nice things or pets, but not both. I don’t believe this is true for everyone but it has certainly proven true for me. I wouldn’t say my house is a pig sty, but it definitely isn’t a clean tidy place all day, every day. “Lived in” is what I like to call the look my home wears. On my blog I write a lot about my life as a pet person. That is, a life with perpetually hairy furniture, nose prints on the windows and dirty floors. Since I was a kid, I’ve been an “animal person”. This is my lot in life and I embrace it, taking care of these creatures and giving them a great life, in some cases when no one else would. But I have always come to the conclusion that the unconditional love and companionship along with an occasional dead bird or vomit in a weird place isn’t a bad deal!

At the moment we have five pets, which I will admit sometimes puts us above our comfort level. My years working in veterinary medicine created an occupational hazard that meant I would occasionally bring home a new addition to the household. Some days in our house are definitely more challenging than others but I truly believe my animals have found us for a reason, and that all five of them need to be with us right now.

If you are a Bozeman pet owner, you know how great life is for your pets, even if, unlike me, you have chosen the sanity of only owning one or two. People here take an interest in your dog the same way they would another person. Hikers want to meet your dog on the trail, friends want to arrange puppy play dates or take your dog along on a hike if you’re stuck at work. I even know some kids who ask if my dogs could join them for a sleepover without me there. When I moved to Bozeman seven years ago, I was comforted by the fact that it is such a dog friendly town. My Shar Pei, Ritz, stuck out among all the Labs and Goldens we encountered at bar-b-ques and dog parks but he didn’t seem to notice! He embraced his life style change from city dog to Montana dog. I was once flagged down while hiking the M because he was ahead of me and someone misinterpreted his characteristically fat, wrinkly face and thought he was having an allergic reaction to a bee sting! For the first time in my life I have friends who I swap dog sitting with, which as you know if you are a pet owner, is a great comfort. One of my closest friends is allergic to cats but she’ll still come to my house and feed mine if I’m gone for a few days. The people who care about me also care about my pets because they know how important they are to me, and they have their own pets who they want the same kind of care for.
Ritz
Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I hadn’t had these pets. How would my life be different if my car seats weren’t covered in dog hair but I’d taken all my road trips alone? Sure the couch wouldn’t have dents but it’d probably be a pretty lonely boring house most of the time. For me, it’s more than a fair trade. I admit, sometimes it’s hard to find the energy to sweep the floor one more time after the dogs bring in dead grass. and I often avoid sitting on the floor while wearing dark pants. I have three cats: one orange, one calico, one gray and white, and two dogs who are black and white. They’ve literally got me covered when it comes to hair on my clothes. I once returned a pair of shorts that I had bought without trying on. As I handed them to the clerk, she politely asked “Do you have a dog or a cat?”. Oops!

My pets teach me about life. They remind me to be patient, to relax and enjoy each moment. They also help me remember that I am not in control. I lost my sweet dog, Ritz, last year. Within a couple months, my parents and my in-laws each lost one of their beloved pets as well. (We have come to refer to it as The Summer of Sadness.) In my years in veterinary medicine I witnessed an incredible amount of joy and sadness come into people’s lives through their furry family members. What’s always amazing to me is no matter how huge that loss, how crippling that grief is, we’re almost always willing to do it again. A pet person can always find more love in their heart for the next creature that needs it. I’m grateful to live in a community that believes in living the pet person’s way of life.

Ramona Graziul is an animal lover whose life has been greatly enriched by all the pets she has loved over the years. She enjoys taking her dogs on adventures in our beautiful Gallatin Valley. Her blog can be found at http://benicefollowrules.blogspot.com

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Ramona Mead

Ramona Mead is a freelance writer and jack of all trades. She is passionate about books, music, pets and living life to the fullest here in Montana. Her blog can be found at http://benicefollowrules.blogspot.com

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