New Year’s pet resolutions for people

Hey pal, time to play!  Pets appearing here are available for adoption at Friends of Animals Foundation  Photo: "Buddy" by Jackie Bass 

It's that time of year – time to assess how you can make some changes that will improve your life in the coming year.  Here on the Pets page, we'd like to give you a chance to improve your cats' and dogs' lives as well with these New Year's resolutions on their behalf.

Give your cats an aerial view
Cats love to perch up high (and watch us mere mortals below) so this year, why not give them a nice tall cat tree with a bird’s eye view?  The climb up to savor their new accommodations will give your kitties good exercise, and you’ll find they’re happier and more peaceful with a posh penthouse getaway.

Improve your dog-walking etiquette
When I was a just a child I was taught that you always curb your dog, meaning you walk on the sidewalk, with your dog on the grassy side, and your body between your dog (or dogs) and the pedestrian passing on the other side.  It’s basic politeness and just good common sense – ensuring a too-curious or boisterous pup doesn’t launch him- or herself at a stranger who has just as much right to be on the sidewalk as you have – and who may be frightened of dogs. 

Like you, cats need fun, exercise and interaction  Photo: "Leslie" by Susan Beveridge

A subset to this etiquette rule is: don’t force your dog on other people or their dogs.  If someone is already walking with their dog on one side of the street, good dog-walking etiquette says you cross to the other side.  You may believe your dog is friendly, but he or she may not be great with this strange dog – or vice versa.  Either way, it’s not worth chancing it.  Earn some good karma points and be courteous.   And of course, always pick up anything your dog deposits on the ground – it’s the law and if you don’t it’s not just your neighbors who could suffer.  Next walk you or your dog could be the one who steps in it.

Cat-ercise!
While cats may seem (to me at least) to have the ideal life – sleeping, eating, napping, and sleeping – they’re actually supposed to be lean and lithe hunters.  Take fifteen minutes out of your day and show Fluffy you care by letting her chase a feather, a toy, or even just some wadded-up aluminum foil on a string.  She’ll get some much-need aerobic activity – as will you – she’ll hone her hunting skills, and eye-paw coordination, and the exercise may help her avoid now-rampant pet obesity that shortens many cats’ and dogs’ lives.  Not only do you get to play with your favorite feline companion, but you may get to enjoy his or her company a little longer as a result.

Like your child, your dog depends on you to keep him safe - just ask Moby! Photo: Susan Beveridge

We shouldn’t even have to say this...
The most important thing you can do to protect your dog is to ALWAYS use a leash.  It’s incomprehensible in busy L.A., with cars whizzing by on even the most residential street, that some people still seem to think their dog can’t be hit or hurt.  Beyond the fact that leashing your dog (on a maximum six-foot leash) is the law, it’s unacceptably dangerous not to – for your dog, for others’ dogs, and for other people.  Yet every day I see people who think they’re too smart, or too special, to take this minimal care to protect their dogs’ lives.  I’ve seen dogs charge full-gallop across the street at other dogs, I’ve seen one unleashed French Bulldog get slammed by a car in rush hour traffic as it attempted to chase after a dog on the other side of the street.  I’ve also had the unpleasant experience of unleashed dogs trying to attack my (always-leashed) brood more times than I care to count.  And if your dog attacks another dog while unleashed, the one who will pay the price is your dog – not you.  Given those consequence how can not-leashing your dog possibly be worth the risk?

Even if you believe that you can predict with 100% accuracy what your dog will or won’t do (in which case you’re wrong, because you can never be certain what another thinking creature will do) why put your neighbors through the stress?  When I’m walking my dogs and I see an unleashed dog, I have to be aware that that dog may attack my dogs, so I have to try to make them invisible (and inaudible – good luck!) and, since the other dog’s owner clearly isn’t concerned about their pet’s safety, I have to worry that if my dogs bark, even if the other dog isn’t aggressive, he or she may dart across the street anyway just to say “Hi!” and end up getting killed by a car.  Law-abiding dog owners shouldn’t be forced to worry about their dogs and your dogs too.  Be a good neighbor, and avoid the hassle of Animal Control showing up at your door – use your leash and protect your dog.