For Pet's Sake Column

ACT I:

Scene: A seaside restaurant in Malibu on Father’s Day.

ANIMAL ADVOCATE: Pulls into sweltering, bursting-at-the-seams parking lot and awaits a valet to park her car. Handsome hunk, er, valet approaches.

VALET: Happy Father’s Day! Just leave your car here and we’ll park it for you. The wait for a table is about an hour.

ANIMAL ADVOCATE: Um, OK, but why did someone leave their dog in that car? (Points to black Volvo sedan, which has windows cracked about an inch.) Dog looks over, panting.

VALET: The owners said they would come out to check on him. (Need we be reminded that dogs can suffer heatstroke in as little as 10 minutes inside a vehicle on a hot day, even when the windows are open a smidge?)

ANIMAL ADVOCATE: Rolls eyes and grudgingly enters restaurant, only to pop back out 10 minutes later. Sun is scorchingly hot. Car with dog inside is still there. Notices ANOTHER car with ANOTHER dog inside. Both are panting profusely. ANIMAL ADVOCATE gets hot(ter) under the collar.

VALET: Dismayed to see that ANIMAL ADVOCATE hasn’t budged, whips car #1 into a shady spot. (ANIMAL ADVOCATE gives VALET a thumbs-up hand signal.)

ANIMAL ADVOCATE: Approaches car #2, reaches in to pet a very sweet, very hot little Italian Greyhound named Cassidy (yes, ANIMAL ADVOCATE made sure the dog was friendly before sticking her hand in the car!). Notices that Cassidy has a water bowl on the seat (assumes water is warm by now).

VALET: Sprints over to see why ANIMAL ADVOCATE is still standing in the parking lot. Reaching into a customer’s car, no less. Realizes that the dog may be in distress after all and promises to move the car. Jogs back to find the key, juggles a few cars around, and finally slips the black Volvo into a parking space under a tree near the front door of the restaurant.

ANIMAL ADVOCATE: Puts a “How Long Will You Be Gone?” informational flyer on Volvo’s windshield and gives Cassidy a pat goodbye before handing the VALET a hefty tip.

Everyone lets out a big sigh of relief.

ACT I ends.

ACT II

Scene: Later that same day in Malibu. ANIMAL ADVOCATE notices that a new pet accessories store has opened and swings by to take a peek.

STORE OWNER: “Hi! Sure is hot out there, isn’t it? We’re offering 15% off everything in this aisle, pointing to the back of the store where shelves are brimming with darling duds for doggies.

ANIMAL ADVOCATE: This is SO cute, as she picks up a petite pink-T that reads “Mommy’s Girl.”

STORE OWNER: I’ve got three French bulldog puppies for sale in the back. Care to take a peek?!

ANIMAL ADVOCATE: Stops, turns, and shoots STORE OWNER a “you’ve got to be kidding” look.

STORE OWNER (oblivious to ANIMAL ADVOCATE’S disdain): I got the puppies from a breeder. If you wash your hands with this disinfectant soap, you can pet them.

ANIMAL ADVOCATE (uncharacteristically, refrains from blurting out what she’s thinking): Why in heaven’s name are you SELLING puppies?! Haven’t you heard about puppy mills, where dogs are bred in deplorable conditions, all for the sake of a fast buck? Sure, the puppies are cute and may (or may not) get lifelong homes, but what about the parents of these pups? They’re the ones I really worry about. They are destined to live out their lives in filthy, crowded cages, where they’re forced to produce litter after litter of puppies. When they’re too old to breed, they’re dumped at animal shelters or killed.

If you don’t believe me, please, PLEASE read the new book, A Rare Breed of Love by Jana Kohl. It’s the tale of Baby, an adorable white poodle who was rescued 3-1/2 years ago from a puppy mill after a decade of confinement. Baby lost a leg due to neglect and had her vocal chords cruelly cut so workers wouldn’t have to listen to her barks and cries to be let out of her cage. Today, Jana and Baby are on a mission to raise awareness about the horrors of puppy mills. You can help by purchasing a copy of the book (which depicts dozens of snazzy photos of Baby with celebrities (Lindsey Lohan, Heather Mills), sports stars (Martina Navratilova) and politicians, including Barack Obama; proceeds will go to The Humane Society of the United States. Visit www.rarebreedoflove.org for more information.

STORE OWNER (calling out to ANIMAL ADVOCATE as she hightails it out of the store): We’ll have more puppies in a week or so, so come back and see us, OK?!

ANIMAL ADVOCATE: Vows never to return to any store that sells animals and makes a mental note to share this story with readers of her pet column.

THE END.

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Karen encourages readers to play the role of ANIMAL ADVOCATE this summer by speaking out for animals in distress. Let Karen know about the opening night festivities by sending an email message to her at karenleestevens@cox.net.