Every Home Deserves the Love of an Animal

 

Another Thought on Transforming NDG — and Creating A NuVo World

Over the past several days, I have been doing a lot more walking around my neighbourhood.

And something has struck me.

There are dogs everywhere!

Big dogs. Little dogs. Old dogs moving slowly beside their people. Puppies trying to investigate every tree, blade of grass and passing stranger. Dogs walking proudly down the sidewalk as though they own NDG — and perhaps, in their minds, they do!

But what has interested me even more than the dogs are the people at the other end of the leash.

Again and again, a dog has provided the introduction.

“What's his name?”

“How old is she?”

“What kind of dog is that?”

And suddenly two strangers aren't strangers anymore.

We're talking.

We're smiling.

We're learning one another's names.

We're becoming neighbours.

And that has made me think about something I have believed for a very long time:

I believe that, wherever circumstances make it possible, every household should experience the love of at least one pet.

It doesn't necessarily have to be a dog.

It might be a cat curled up beside you while you read. A bird greeting you in the morning. A rabbit, guinea pig or another animal that becomes part of the rhythm of a home.

There is something extraordinary about sharing our lives with animals.

They teach us responsibility without giving lectures.

They teach children gentleness.

They give older people companionship.

They give someone living alone another living being to come home to.

They get us outside.

They make us laugh.

They comfort us when we're sad.

And perhaps most beautifully, they teach us about unconditional love.

An animal doesn't care what kind of car you drive.

It doesn't care what you do for a living, how much money you have, what clothes you wear or whether the rest of the world thinks you are important.

To your dog, you may be the most important person on Earth.

To your cat, you may be the person whose lap means home.

That is a remarkable gift.

Pets Don't Just Build Families. They Build Communities.

My walks through NDG are teaching me this firsthand.

A person walking alone can pass another person walking alone without saying a word.

But put a dog between them and everything changes.

The dog sniffs.

The humans smile.

Someone asks a question.

Names are exchanged.

Tomorrow they recognize one another.

A week later they're having a conversation.

A month later, perhaps they're friends.

This is exactly the kind of community I want us to build.

A community where we know one another.

Where we aren't afraid to say hello.

Where a walk down the street isn't simply transportation from Point A to Point B, but an opportunity to encounter another human being.

And sometimes it takes a four-legged ambassador to make that happen!

But There Is a Problem

There is another side to this conversation that I believe we need to address.

Too many people who would love to have a dog cannot have one because their apartment building doesn't permit dogs.

I understand why rules like these came into existence.

Dogs can bark. They can cause damage. Irresponsible owners can fail to clean up after them. Some dogs can disturb neighbours.

Those are legitimate concerns.

But I don't believe the answer is simply:

NO DOGS.

The answer is responsible pet ownership.

Instead of automatically prohibiting dogs, why don't we create reasonable rules that allow responsible people to share their homes with them?

Require owners to clean up after their animals.

Require dogs to be appropriately controlled in common areas.

Create reasonable expectations regarding excessive barking and disturbances.

Hold owners accountable for damage their animals cause.

Encourage training and responsible ownership.

In other words:

Deal with irresponsible behaviour rather than prohibiting responsible companionship.

I would love to see NDG become a leader in creating more pet-friendly housing.

I'd love landlords, tenants, animal-welfare organizations and community leaders to sit down together and ask:

How can we make it easier for responsible people to share their homes with animals while protecting the reasonable rights of their neighbours?

Surely we can find that balance.

Imagine a More Pet-Friendly NDG

Imagine apartment buildings where responsible pet ownership is welcomed rather than automatically rejected.

Imagine neighbours helping an elderly resident walk her dog when she's unable to.

Imagine children learning how to care for animals.

Imagine community dog walks.

Imagine adoption days connecting homeless animals with loving homes.

Imagine parks filled not merely with people who happen to live near one another, but with neighbours who actually know one another.

And imagine how many animals presently waiting in shelters might find homes if more people were permitted to have them.

There is another important principle here, however.

Owning an animal is not simply a right. It is a responsibility.

If we are going to advocate for more pet-friendly housing, we must simultaneously advocate for better pet ownership.

An animal is not a toy.

It isn't something we acquire because it seems like fun and abandon when life becomes inconvenient.

When we bring an animal into our home, we are making a promise:

I will take care of you.

Food.

Exercise.

Veterinary care.

Safety.

Affection.

Patience.

Companionship.

For as long as that animal depends upon us.

That is the bargain.

And perhaps that responsibility is another reason animals are so good for us.

Another Small Part of A NuVo World

When I talk about transforming NDG, people may naturally think about the big ideas — housing, food security, transportation, community centres and all the other initiatives I have been discussing.

But transforming a community isn't only about enormous projects.

Sometimes transformation has four paws and a wagging tail.

Sometimes it begins when two strangers stop on a sidewalk because their dogs want to say hello.

Sometimes it happens when a lonely person suddenly has someone waiting at the door.

Sometimes it happens when a child learns that another living creature depends upon her.

And sometimes it happens when we reconsider an old rule and ask whether there might be a kinder and better way.

I want A NuVo World to be a world that values all life.

A world filled with greater compassion — for one another and for the animals with whom we share this extraordinary planet.

And perhaps we can start right here in NDG.

More responsible pet ownership.

More pet-friendly homes.

More animals adopted into loving families.

More people outside walking.

More conversations between neighbours.

More smiles.

More friendships.

More love.

That's not such a small thing after all.

Because every time we learn to care deeply for another living creature, we become a little more human ourselves.

And every time that love brings two neighbours together, we become a little more of a community.

A NuVo World — creating a NuVo, better world, one day and one person — and perhaps one animal — at a time!