Yesterday I took Lilly to the vet for her annual vaccination and check-up, it’s not something she looks forward to that’s for sure.  In true chihuahua style she shook all the way to the vet and her nails made a nice clanging sound on the vet’s examination table.  Since this was a new vet I wasn’t sure what to expect but this guy was good… he was actually able to hold Lilly!  Not many people can say that, especially if they have only met her.  In fact he even trimmed ALL her nails… I’m sure my chin was on the examination table with Lil because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.  In all of Lil’s eleven and a half years of existence, I have NEVER had anyone able to do that; many a vet had tried but only Dan the Man supervet succeeded.  I could have kissed him.  So if you are in the northern suburbs of Brisbane I strongly recommend going to Petworks Everton Park Veterinary Surgery, you won’t regret it.

I was talking with my aunt the other day and she basically said that because she owns land she has a right to own animals but as a renter I “shot myself in the foot” by having pets.  Now I see what she is saying in terms of rental properties being easier to secure if you don’t have pets but I’m an animal lover and couldn’t imagine life without them.  If I followed her logic and only got pets when I owned a house I’d never have them… houses are too expensive.  Without a genuine miracle from God (any time now Father) we will be renting for the rest of our lives, it’s just the way it is.  Animals in my household are treated just as well as my kids, even better as the photo above shows  (Yes that’s a dog sleeping on the lambskin rug while my daughter is sleeping on a regular blanket)  so why should I miss out?  I believe pets teach children a lot about responsibility, kindness, gentleness, love and ultimately death.  I feel every responsible caring family should have the right to own pets, regardless of  home ownership!

I have a neighbour (g’day Stan) who is a lovely old man who just so happens to be in a caravan association. He was telling me that they are a pet friendly mob who go on holidays together 3 or 4 times a year. He said they are mostly elderly folk with small breeds of dogs who travel to pet friendly caravan parks all through the state. I can picture myself doing that with my chihuahua up front for company, ok maybe my husband as well. I knew there were pet friendly holiday parks but I had no idea there were associations you could join to make holidaying with your pet easy. Yep as soon as the kids leave home and retirement is upon us, I’ll be making myself some friends….. caravan style! It’s funny because I’m always teasing my husband about spending some of his childhood in a caravan and now I am aiming for a caravan in retirement. Have I gone mad? No, there is a difference… I only want to holiday in a caravan a couple of times a year. I’m not aspiring to live in a caravan permanently. Although, with the housing crisis the way it is it’s not an impossibility. So getting back to my topic, holidaying with your pets is very possible if you have a dog. A cat however is another matter entirely. I am yet to meet a cat who enjoys traveling in the car and who will stay by your side in a new environment. So my advice is to get a cat sitter while you gallivant around the country side. Oh and it just so happens that my Aunt operates an in home cat sitting service (Happy Birthday Aunty Carole). So long as your cat isn’t a psycho like mine, it makes holidaying even easier.