Most bonds with pandemic pets will thrive

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/09/2020 (1840 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I’m very angry at the people who are saying those who adopted rescued pets during the pandemic will reject them after the virus is under control and they can go back to their normal social lives!

Those people don’t know how a little or big animal can grab people, quickly open their hearts and become part of the family. It happened to us! Why do people talk like that? — So Disappointed in Fellow Humans, River Heights

Dear Disappointed: All our social lives took a dive with COVID-19, but when things get back to something more like the old normal, most people will not give away their new fur family to rejoin their old activities.

Oftentimes these animals have made home a nicer place to be for families and singles, and people would rather cuddle with kitty or take little Fido out for walk than go out to party.

To help people who speak this way about the new wave of pets getting homes, use this comparison. The parents of a first baby quickly love that baby so much they sometimes wonder if they can love more children the same way. But when baby No. 2 arrives, they do!

It’s the same with adopted animals. People who have adopted animals during COVID times now have a new family member, and often it’s the most agreeable one in the house!

These little souls are not sulking about COVID restrictions. Now they have a home and people to love them, and they inspire people with their happiness.

Love is not a finite pie that has to be divided into ever smaller pieces; more love is created by adopting furry family members, just as it is with babies.

 

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: In regard to Dragon Breath (who found his angry wife sleeping upside down to avoid his bad breath), you should know bad breath can also be a result of dehydration. When that’s the case, mouthwash and tooth-brushing won’t solve the problem.

Smoking can also contribute to the problem, and not just through the smell of cigarettes. —Just Chris, Manitoba

Dear Chris: Thanks for this tip. By giving off persistent bad breath, the body is trying to warn us of something that is wrong with our health. And if we don’t know, those close to us (hopefully) will tell us we have halitosis, “dragon breath” or “buffalo breath.” (We do live in Manitoba.)

We know it can warn us of gum disease, health effects of smoking, tonsil stones, badly fitting dental appliances that collect bacteria that smell, and also certain cancers.

The people who are brave enough to tell a friend, loved one or co-worker to seek treatment for something going wrong in their body deserve thanks. Then, hopefully, the afflicted person can get it treated, before it gets really dangerous.

We shouldn’t be angry at people close to us who tell about our persistent bad breath — except if they’re jeering. That’s a big mistake on their part. Buffalo breath could happen to them, too, and then nobody is going to want to warn them.

 

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.