No negotiation: inclusive vacays
This is Duke. He was dog on a mission. It didn’t matter if it was peak commuter traffic on one of the worst freeways in Houston, he was going after his Person. (FB/ABC13 news)
It may say “Pet Resort” or campers pampered in luxury, but WE KNOW.
You can add on all the “extras”: organic homemade treats, bedtime cuddles and stories, one on one playtime, private soundproof suites with TV and even a small “couch”, but WE KNOW.
Shoving us off with strangers while you sneak out and have all the fun. Frisbees. Tennis balls. We are sure you are hoarding all the toys for yourself. Somewhere cool. WE KNOW.
There better be guilt.
No matter how nice the accommodations and the people, there’s no place like home.
“Please, we’ll ride for hours – days – crammed under your feet and not complain! Remember how the cat managed to coma-out in her box and not show the slightest interest for the offered litter box during hurricane evacuation? We’ll share the backseat and stay on our sides. We won’t be any trouble. Besides I can hold it longer than you! Pleeeeeease can we go with you?”
And home, to us, is wherever our Person is.
Hey, the calvary has arrived. After avoiding multiple people, Duke recognized a dog trainer when he saw one, the lady in black who happened along. He happily accompanied her in her car to a local vet to be checked out and have his owner contacted from the info on his tags. The trainer, who stayed with Duke, said he was a lovely dog – apparently lived fairly close by. And when his owner walked into the clinic, Duke did a huge leap and wrapped himself around his baffled owner like a poncho…It would be “like a scarf”, except Duke is, well, a Great Dane. (Wrigley/FB/Twitter/ABC13)
As summer begins (and the heat index here is 104F today) pet owners quietly start making plans. (THEY KNOW.)
Obviously some self reliant pets cannot be distracted with mousies or bribed with fresh salmon. Willing to take extreme measures to go along.
WARNING: do not allow any pet to view the following. They might get ideas.
Rescuer Rob is keeping the cat, of course. Hopefully the Cat thinks he’s worthy and is appreciative.
Any way to guilt trip you more? HaHa
Oh, the boarding places with all those cams supposedly so pet parents can supposedly “reassure” themselves? Actually a negotiation between facility owner and the Cat and Dog Unions: “You can leave me behind but I shall sit forlornly in this one spot right in front of the camera so you can see exactly how miserable it is here and how we are wasting away….and be wretched with your poor choices….”
The German was the all time top performer of that one which is how we ended up being her second Persons. I swear she sat crouched under a table and glared directly at the camera for 3 days despite the boarding personnel’s attempts to entertain her. Academy award winning performance.
Every wonder Airstream trailers and Motorhomes are the result of pet owners unable to take those sad broken-hearted eyes as they are lead away to their temporary cells suites?
Secure the passengers.
Don’t worry, “they will be fine”, happy, pet campers. (You can always check the cams…)
Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge.
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Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 
Duke is a wonderful pup… and I hope it will be a good summer for all people and pets…
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Determined Duke reminds me of Marmaduke. There’s a large Great Dane group here – no doubt they are offering suggestions on how to fence Duke in…or wonder if Duke learned to open the front door? Nothing deters a determined pup! Paw waves and thanks for running along
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We take Maggie practically everywhere. We had to leave her behind when we took the boat up for brokerage, but she was staying with a friend and knew she was allowed on the bed, would get fuss and treats, and be spoilt rotten.
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So many places like restaurants/patios and even Home Depot are dog friendly now. That’s a big help as except for summer the weather is nice enough for everyone to get outside. Our pet sitter is in college now, so Molly ends up going with us. RC cat, however, is on the fence about traveling vs having a neighbor check/spoil on her at home. Logistics may be complicated, but everyone needs to be safe and comfortable. Thanks for traveling by to chat
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Our town is pet friendly too which is one of the things we like about it.
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Quality of community and what is important is shown by the parks and playgrounds for kids and, now, it’s all about pet friendly.
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The kiddies play areas here are dog free, as is the kids paddling pool. A large stretch of the beach is off limits to dogs May to September, but luckily ‘our end’ is dog friendly all year.
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It’s better to keep kids and dogs apart – just too much risk a pup will get scared or stepped on and snap. Molly isn’t a fan of the beach waves, but loves a good (calm except for dogs splashing) pond or pool. (And in this heat, those are very much welcomed!..kids would just clutter up the dog scampering and cavorting. HAHA)
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Ani guilt-trips me by posting while I’m away… though in fact she is having a whale of a time in a household full of dogs and dog-savvy children she’s known all her life. She can’t wait to leave when they come to collect her and never looks back.
But let me get my shoes and keys when it is time to go out to work…then the ears go down and I’m sent on my way with the knowledge that I am breaking her heart and betraying her. Every day.
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Every.Single.Day. We know who is training whom (and we are helpless to do anything about it. HaHa). Thanks for stopping by top board a comment here
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Yep…and they have us well under the paw…and we wouldn’t choose to have it any other way 😉
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Because he didn’t get along with another cat I had at the time, I had to board my cat Jake. I searched until I found a place with a cat run, not cages. I took carpeting, cat beds and fresh catnip to decorate. The first time he went there he was distracted by the cute cat next door coveting his hanging catnip. The second time as I was leaving he flung himself on the chain link fence and cried the most pitiful sound. I cried all the way home. Fortunately (or not) the old cat that he didn’t get along with passed and we didn’t have to do that anymore. Sadly that boarding place converted the cat barn to all dogs. Now there is no place locally where you can board a cat unless you are willing to have them caged the whole time.
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You can fool them once…
I worry about boarding cats as they do not seem to get the same accommodations and treatment (Well, they are cats and get attached to where they live as much as to their owners, so they say) We had a lovely family next door who loved RC and would happily come over and pet/feed her/watch tv a bit with her, but all the kids are out of college and the parents moved. There’s one boarding place where Molly went to play in their fields once a week/stayed a couple of days while we were gone – it’s great, been there a long time so you have to make reservations way in advance – and they have a fabulous cat section with cat doors to an outside playground/.climbing/ sitting in the breeze watching trees and dogs run around. Think hamster trail. There’s also soundproof large rooms if the cat does not want to socialize with others. But there are so few slots for available. RC is a bit too old for partying, so we’ll have to find alternative sitter/friend she knows. We just put out a massive number of litter boxes (which is how she knows something is up…). We may leave and she may be fine, but her displeasure will wait us…
Thank for watching the fur fly here
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Boarding a cat is my least favorite option. I have a wonderful sitter who will come and play with the grays. Mollie gives her hairy eyeballs because you can’t expect the queen to play. She hasn’t met Sasha yet. Sasha likes all day entertainment so there will be hell to pay when we get home. We may find this out later this summer. That cat place sounds fabulous.
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How cute.
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Whew! Safe and sound now. Thanks for driving a comment over
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Aaw! 😢 “Besides, I can hold it longer than you.” Brilliant reasoning! 🤣
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Dogs are so anxious to be good sometimes when traveling. The time we escorted The German to her Person’s new assignment location in DC we had a bit of a trial trying to get her to understand the it was OK to “use the facilities” when we stopped in route for her. She just kept looking like “it’s not familiar, I’m going back to the car.” What a queen.(We volunteered to drive her – no way we’d sit by and let her be loaded into crate onto a plane. Too risky)
Thanks for giggling along
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My heart was in my throat when I watched that video. What a save! Sounded like the woman who rescued this kitty stopped breathing …. yikes! Bless her! I know how fast cats can be cuz I love 8 who are not only my family, but special needs as well. SO cool to know there are folks out there who love animals and who care. Vacation? Seriously? Haven’t had one in over 20 years. No one can replace me and no way no how can I leave for extended time periods due to our cats who need treatments and who rely on me especially to be there as Mom. I have windows of time opportunities during the day that I utilize to step into my other “roles” other then Mom and Practitioner. (smile) That’s as far as a vacation that I get.
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I couldn’t find the other news video of the interview of the rescued cat and hero. Obviously the kitten was still very feral, but safe, sound, and on the road to understanding pampering was going to a daily event now.
A note from the realm’s RC Cat: “Staff here is not allowed to go far without a firm paw at the other end of a leash…there was a time a couple of years ago where they actually went out, must have gotten lost, and returned several sleeps later. Something about a wedding. Or was that webbed feet…no telltale sand, but Staff babbles so with so many meaningless sounds. They are very slow to pick up additional languages. Lower species are like that. One does what one can to nudge them along. A grand paw wave in solidarity not the Regent of your realm.”
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I actually just came on here and when I saw your reply I read it. And read it again. At first I said, HUH? And then when I got it I roared! Our cats rule and you’ve got cats down pat! I’m still laughing. Lower species is right! Only humans or should I say for the most part, the majority of humans, don’t know it. 🐾🐾🐾😉
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So glad for all the rescues, and all the “I got you’s!” Such a simple sentence that says so much.
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So many animals – eager to trust, to put their faith in you, to adopt whatever you can offer…and darn it if they will be left behind! Summer’s here – make sure the gate’s locked, the fences tall and firm, and sitters alert (but we trust no one – no one – it’d be looking in the rear view mirror to see a racing blur of fur keeping up with us! …we can take less clothes …crate, the dog food, the toys…you can see why we only take day trips…)
Thanks for rolling in with a comment
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Just yesterday a friend and I were coming back into town on 146, trading stories of rescues from the freeway. That poor little kitty — thank goodness someone got it. I just pray I never see something like that. I’m afraid I’d stop, too, and that would be the end of my determination to avoid future furry entanglements!
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The poor kitty in harm’s way…that’s how we got (oh, no, not getting suckered into it) RC Cat. Storm, thunder, lightning, tiny cat on weak branch swaying – crying loudly to our ancient blind Olde Tiger on the deck (who we know was coaching vocals and was auditioning RC cat-in-training…sigh. Tiger said we were needed – the only hope….)
The local shelter need foster homes, you know. HaHa!
(Oh, did yo know that little coffee shop, Drink Station, that closed has reopened down by the new big school complex.YEA)
thanks for herding a comment this way
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So glad Duke and that kitten were rescued! Leaving a pet is like leaving a child. Son has two dogs and has found a great place to board them and has to get a “room” with a TV. Most of the time he brings them with him are we willingly dog sit if he gets out and does not want to take them. I confess they have their own blankets, toys, bowls when they come here so they feel right at home…and we spoil them. May you and your fur friends stay safe this summer.
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Pets are like pre-verbal children in so many ways (and both will run in traffic if not grabbed. Whew!)
Thanks for wishing Staff and all the fur people everywhere a good summer
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That opening pic is glorious.
Just glorious.
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The eyes have it all. Thanks
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Aww…sweet Duke and the kitty…Thank Cat they’re safe now, Philmouse💗Pawkisses for a Happy safe Wednesday🐾😽💞
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Love to have Duke rap himself around me, trouble is he’s probably twice my weight, he is gorgeous. The War Office keeps suggesting I go off visit some of my old chums interstate and she’ll look after my dog, can you believe that? Do you think he’d allow that? I know my place.
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We are about to take in my daughter’s 7 (!) cats while she camps for a week. Snoops and Kommando Kitty are not happy.
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Maybe you can convince them to form a mousie soccer league?
Excessive energy redirect- redirect – redirect.
(RC Cat sighs, “with dogs, maybe, cats? Far too intelligent. Perhaps philosophical discussions over bowls of delicacies about territorial rights…”)
Thanks for stopping by – must run over and keep up with those tales!
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