They also want to know how long I intend to stay and if I make enough money to fund my retirement. It’s amazing what people feel entitled to ask. Sometimes it’s my longtime dog friends that ask as often as new people that I have just met.

The answer goes like this. I have always been an animal person. I grew up on a game farm where our horses ran with the camel, llama, zebra and buffalo. We always had dogs of every sort and working Australian Shepherds to help with the round up chores and checking livestock. Dogs are in my blood. Slowly, one dog and one family at a time I am educating people about compassion for animals and especially dogs. In the long run, this will affect the quality of life for humans here, too.  There have been many documented studies in the U.S., CA and Europe on people that abuse their children and spouses. There is a direct link to small animal abuse and later abusing people. Serial killers have that in common, too. Many like Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy have all started out torturing and killing small animals. If we can start teaching compassion for all living beings, we may well make a difference in human lives.

By Amy L. Rapp