It Just Might Be Time, And An Annoyance

It's been 2 1/2 years since my dog died.

She was a "rescue" from some people who were moving into a place where they weren't allowed to take her. She was supposedly about four years old, and lived another eight years. She had the "collapsing trachea" problem that's common in Chihuahuas (she was part Chihuahua, part some kind of terrier -- probably Jack Russell, and probably some other things). One night she went to sleep and just didn't wake up. Her name (not given by me) was "Cookie Monster." She was a silly little mutt who loved her humans. Good dog.

Now that we're in a new place with a fenced yard, I'm finally thinking about getting another dog.

I don't do the "particular breed, registered/purebred/with papers" thing. Nothing against it, but I personally prefer finding an animal that I like, and that seems to like me, and that needs a home.

It doesn't seem like that long ago that I started seeing small "rehoming fees" advertised when people put pets up for adoption. Emphasis on "small" -- never more than $50, and with Cookie Monster it was $20. It seemed like an instrument to establish that you really wanted a pet and weren't just scooping up every puppy you could find for a research lab or something.

Looking at "pet adoption" listings early today, I saw numerous ones with two things in common:

• Heavy emphasis on breed (specific breeds, not mixes);
• They're puppies; and
• "Rehoming fees" of several hundred dollars each

Those aren't rehoming fees. These people are just selling puppies. And they're probably doing so on a recurring basis as often as their pregnant bitch or bitches deliver a litter.

Like I said, nothing against that ... but why not just be honest about it instead of pretending that the selling price is a "rehoming fee?"

I'm in no hurry. I'll eventually come across a dog needing a home who gives me the "AH -- MY HUMAN HAS FINALLY FOUND ME" look, either randomly or because I happen across one of those event tents the area pet rescues hold periodically and decide to take a walk around.

I don't really discriminate on breed myself, and would actually kind of like a pit bull -- every one of them I've met is just a great big baby -- but my son has read too many mauling stories and would have a cow. We probably don't have room for a dog and a cow.