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Saying the Long and Short Good-byes to an Animal
By Allen and Linda
Anderson
Another travel season is upon us. In
addition to concerns over the price of gasoline, those of us who share our homes
with animal companions have to figure out what to do when it's time to leave for
a trip. In 2000, the Airline Transportation Association estimated that more than
a half-million pets each year were traveling on planes. Today, probably most
animals are traveling by car. The rest are staying at
home.
What do animals do while you're away? What
do they think about? Do they miss you? Do they anticipate your
arrival?
In his fantastic book, Dogs That Know When
Their Owners Are Coming Home, renowned scientist Rupert Sheldrake writes, "Dogs
that know when their owners are returning home, cats that answer the telephone
when a person they are attached to is calling, horses that can find their way
home over unfamiliar terrain, cats that anticipate earthquakes - these aspects
of animal behavior suggest the existence of forms of perceptiveness that lie
beyond present-day scientific understanding."
Perception is both a mental and spiritual
quality that animals share with humans. Sometimes animals are so amazingly
aware, people are left to wonder how much they could be learning from their
furry and feathery brothers and sisters. Animals' high level of perception leads
to something most of us have experienced: They not only long for us when we're
gone, they know when to expect our return and hopefully, are looking forward to
it.
In our first book, Angel Animals:
Exploring Our Spiritual Connection with Animals, there is a wonderfully funny
story by Mary Martucci about her dog Tanya. This resourceful creature taught
herself how to press the automatic garage door button and let herself out of the
adjacent enclosure while Mary was at work. After neighbors reported seeing Tanya
going for daily walks around the neighborhood, Mary stayed home one day in order
to solve the mystery. That's when she discovered that Tanya also skillfully let
herself back into the garage, closing the door behind her. The dog had to have
known when Mary would be returning to have covered her tracks so
well.
The Joy of
Coming Home
One of our favorite sights is our dog
Taylor bouncing around with joy when we come home. Her entire body trembles with
excitement. Our cats bound to the door, also. They don't seem to realize that
they're supposed to be aloof and should have a take-it-or-leave it attitude
about our arrival. Our bird first, screeches and then, sings his greetings to
the returning members of his flock. These are the signs that we are truly home
at last.
All is right with the world when family
members are accounted for. Creatures big and small -- retiles and birds, mammals
and fish -- react to the return of their humans.
Did you ever wonder what happens when you
run errands, visit with friends, or go to see a movie? Most people can't bring
pets with them these short journeys. The dangers of leaving an animal in an
enclosed vehicle are too great. For longer trips, many people have to leave pets
at home, although it's heartening to see how many motels have become
pet-friendly.
What is it like for your pets when you're
gone? Your prolonged trip from home may seem like forever to a pet who views the
world through your presence.
Is the answer not to go out, not to
travel, not to spend time away from your home? Do you have to become a recluse
after a pet comes into your life?
Take heart, oh traveler. Below are steps
we've found helpful for reducing the anxiety and fear animals feels when the
humans they love are far away.
Phone
Home, ET
When one of us is traveling and the other
is at home, the absent partner calls. We're not only checking in with each other
but we take this opportunity to exchange small talk with the dog and cats. All
right, it would sound silly to someone overhearing us chatting with Taylor while
her tail wags furiously, but animal lovers understand. These quick conversations
make Taylor much calmer and assure her that we're not as distant as she might be
imagining.
If you have a speakerphone for this type
of call, that is even better. Then the at-home recipient doesn't have to sit for
five minutes holding a phone to the dog's ear. (Our bird seems to be able to
hear telephone conversations all the way from the other
room!)
If you have a pet-sitter (who won't think
you're nuts), you can arrange to phone home when the sitter will be at the
house. Then your animals will get their daily dose of love and
encouragement.
A Picture
Is Worth a Thousand Words
If you have a video cam, you can videotape
yourself talking to your dog or cat and have it played once a day by the at-home
person or pet sitter. (Record an audiocassette tape also so you can speak
soothingly and reduce your pet's separation anxiety.) The reassurance of your
voice and image will be the highlight of your animal companion's day.
Oh, for a
Whiff of You
Find some article of clothing you don't
mind leaving behind - the smellier the better.
Put this stinky shirt, sock, blanket, or towel where you pet plays or
goes to sleep. Your familiar and beloved scent will help assure the animal of
your presence while you are out of sight. Even one smelly sock can reduce a
pet's anxiety and allow him or her to get a restful night's
sleep.
Select
Your Caregivers Carefully
If you decide to have pet sitters either
come to your home or care for an animal in their homes, it's very important to
check references by calling their other clients. Also, invite the sitter over to
your house and see how your pet reacts to the person. Animals can be incredibly
wise judges of characters.
The same holds true for kennels. Inspect
them. See where the animals are being kept and if the temperatures, feeding
arrangements, and outdoor schedules are right for your animal.
Enjoy your physical and spiritual journeys
in life. Just remember, there are animal companions who are on the road with you
in spirit even while their warm little bodies are at home, awaiting your return.
They're more connected to you than you can ever comprehend. Make your physical
absences from them as comfortable as possible. Upon your return, they will thank
you with their wiggling bodies, their welcoming purrs, and their delightful
homecoming dances.
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