“Be a Better Animal Guardian”

Many caring people—including PETA employees—can look back at a time when they should have done more for an animal. Perhaps at the time, they felt they were just “too busy” or simply “didn’t know any better.” While we can’t change the past, we can learn from it. If you recognize yourself in any of the following situations, please do all you can to make your animal companion’s life better and ensure that you don’t have the same regrets.

Tamara Murphy
My parents and I had four dogs—three stayed indoors with us, but one was always kept outside alone. Our outside dog, Tasha, would sit by the sliding glass door, looking at us, surely wondering why she was outside. I felt sad for her, all alone out in the cold, and I would invite her in sometimes, but I never pushed my parents to let her live indoors with us. She lived her whole life as an outside dog. She must have felt lonely and confused about why she was out there alone. I now share my life with two dogs—one who reminds me so much of Tasha—and could not imagine making them stay outside.

Kelly Ernst
When I was a college student, I was so busy studying and spending time with my friends that some nights I didn’t think to let my rats out of their cages for even just an hour. When I would get home, they would press their noses against the bars of their cages. They looked just like they were in prison. I felt so terrible, but I was always in such a rush. They have since passed on, and I wish that I had taken some more time out to spend with them.

Eric Allen
I’ve moved in the past and left my cats behind. Although they were given to good people that I knew, I now realize just how wrong this was. Animals are not furniture. These cats had a bond with me—just like human friends. I often think about the cats I left behind. I know now that the two cats who live with me now will be with me for the rest of their lives.

Jannette Patterson
When I was a small girl, my family had a beautiful dog named Heidi. One night, we left her in our fenced backyard when we went to bed. Heidi jumped the fence and got hit by a car. Her front leg was so badly injured that she lost it. Heidi had to hop around after that. The stress that put on her body ended up cutting her life short. She paid the price for us to learn never to leave dogs outside unsupervised, even in a fenced yard!

Kim Dewester
Several years ago, I adopted a goldfish after her guardian grew bored with her. I named her Bubbles, and I purchased a large tank for her. I filled it with plants to make her life just a little more interesting. I sincerely regret not adopting other fish for her to share her life with, though. I know that fish travel in schools, and I’m sure that Bubbles was incredibly lonely. I took good care of her, but I’m sure she would have preferred to have some company in her tank.

Anonymous
At my old job, I left my dog home all day while I worked long hours. I could have worked something out with my roommates to walk him during the day or even had a neighbor do it, but I didn’t. I was an idiot. When he was older, he developed really painful bladder stones, which caused internal bleeding. I’m sure he got them as a result of being left at home and forced to “hold it” all day. I’m sorry he had to suffer just so I could learn that dogs need to be walked at least three times a day.

Click here for more regrets.

Country Superstars Get Down in Dog-Friendly Ad for PETA

Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton are helping bring animal-friendly messages to millions of viewers through two new PETA public service announcements now airing on stations across the country. Dolly donated her bluegrass song “Will He Be Waiting for Me?” for a heartwarming spot starring comic Kathy Najimy as a woman rushing home to take her dog out, reminding people that dogs need company and are miserable when neglected. Emmylou’s commercial was filmed inside Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and features the singer declaring, “I’m a proud member of some great organizations. One is the Grand Ole Opry. Another is PETA … PETA distributes unwanted furs to the homeless, provides free spay and neuter services and builds doghouses for poverty-stricken families, and has convinced cosmetics companies to replace animal tests with more reliable, humane alternatives.”

You can improve the lives of dogs and cats suffering from cruelty and neglect.

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