Animals Key to Learning About Love in New Year

By Dr. Tony LoBue, Crossroads Animal Hospital

Wow! It's 2007 already and another new year is upon us. This is the time we like to reflect on the past and begin to think about the future. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas season with loved ones. You can't think about Christmas without thinking about love, which is the most powerful gift of all. It is the gift that never runs out. You can give, give and give and you only seem to have more of it to give.

I believe that pets give the most visibly perfect example of unconditional love. There are so many stories about how an animal will protect its owner. Think of the smile they can put on even the most hurting of hearts. They bring happiness to nursing home residents and are happy to sit in anyone's lap. It doesn't matter to them what you look like, how old you are or what your status is in society.

I recently read a story about a teacher who taught emotionally disturbed teens in a group home. The students were all in crisis situations and could be there anywhere from a day to a month.

A friend of the teacher's recommended an idea of getting the children to help out at a local animal shelter. The plan was simple, who ever met the discipline and schoolwork requirements for the week would be able to go over on Wednesday mornings and care for the animals. This would consist of shoveling waste, cleaning the runs, washing dog and cat bowls, and feeding the animals. After the chores were done, the youngsters would earn the freedom to walk the dogs behind the shelter unsupervised.

The teacher emphasized to the students how much the animals needed their love and care. Soon most of them were opening their hearts to the abused animals. They took pride in themselves and the kind of job they did because the animals needed them. As they served the animals, the teens were transformed and learned to accept unconditional love from the dogs and the cats.

These troubled kids saw that the animals were lonely and desperate for love and attention. For maybe the first time in their lives, someone said to them, "Can you help?" Never before had they been considered contributing members of society. Yet these kids begged to volunteer at the shelter.

The animals in the shelter and the students in the group home show that when "throwaway" kids and "throwaway" animals give and receive love from each other, they form relationships that help them to survive. The world may have forgotten about and not needed these children, but the animals sure did.

Those of you who are pet lovers already know this. But some of you, who are thinking about venturing out, consider this little poem:

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can get going without pep pills,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can overlook it when something goes wrong through no fault of yours and those you love take it out on you,

If you take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him,

If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,

If you can face the world without medical help,

If you can relax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

If you can say honestly deep in your heart you have no prejudice against creed, color, religion or politics,

Then, my friend, you are almost as good as your dog or cat.

I thank God for the furry friends in my life and you should too.