This Just In...
Kevin Fischer is an award-winning veteran broadcaster who has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for nearly three decades.
Kevin, who is a legislative aide to state Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, “INTERchange,” on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, in Franklin.
The Barking Lot
By Kevin Fischer
Saturday, Aug 2 2008, 10:56 AM
Everyone knows I’m one of the biggest dog lovers in Franklin… in Wisconsin… in the Midwest… in the United States… OK, you get the picture. Everyone also knows that currently I do not own a dog. That, of course, is more due to my better half’s choice than mine. Until circumstances are perfectly conducive to us becoming pet parents, I will have to make do with enjoying the dogs of family, friends and neighbors. (Especially Mickey, a Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier that lives a few doors down from us. I love her to pieces.)
I regularly buy treats at Greendale’s Pawprints Across Your Heart for my dog-in-law Leia. I make dog biscuits at Christmas to give to the special dogs in my life. I will go up to a total stranger and ask them if I can pet their dog. I never remember the owner’s name but never forget the pooch’s. Our calendar (this year it’s all dog cartoons from the New Yorker) proudly displays the dates of the dog shows. I’m eagerly awaiting Irish Fest this year (as always) for many reasons but the biggest is their Dogs of Ireland area… filled with beautiful Irish dogs… Irish Setters, Irish Wolfhounds, Soft Coated Wheaton Terriers, Skye and Cairn Terriers, etc. I can not rest until I’ve met and petted at least one of every breed. And speaking of ethnic festivals, yes I did make Kevin watch the Dachshund races (in the blazing hot sun) at German Fest last week.
So you see, there are ways to get a “dog fix” without having a dog. But I would never go so far as to rent a dog. “What???” you say. “RENT a dog???” Yes, there are some crazy fools out there who want companionship without commitment of any sort. And they pay high prices for it. Hmmm… let’s think about this. High-priced companionship without commitment. In human situations that could land you in jail!
Get this: FlexPetz is a doggie rental service. Yes, RENTAL. Not a foster pet-parent program like the Wisconsin Humane Society offers. For $99 a month and then $45 per day you can actually rent a dog. You can read more about FlexPetz here.
I’m not saying the pets owned by this company are abused. I’m sure some of them have been rescued from less-than-desirable situations. I would also like to think that anyone willing to spend $99 a month and $45 a day to have canine companionship for even a little while would, truly, love dogs. I just think it’s wrong. I echo the concern in the Newsweek article about the psychological effects on the dog being bounced from one renter to the other, and certainly the “shelf life” of a dog. Who is going to rent a 14-year-old Lab with hip dysplasia and a bladder-control issue? What happens to those dogs? I wonder.
For me, I will stick with enjoying the dogs in my life just the way they are until I can have one (or more!) of my own.
---Jennifer Fischer
Could rent-a-spouse be next?
Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.
Sushi went to a pet groomer.....and died.
Here's a sad situation, and a warning: Keep an eye on your pets.
We hate when bad people do bad things to dogs. We love when the bad people get caught. Of course, the accused is denying any wrongdoing.
Last week, we told you about a beaten puppy named Phoenix. Here's a video update on his progress.
Your dog acting up? Try doga........yoga for dogs.
Saudi Arabia knows.......dogs are chick magnets.
That's it for this week.
Remember everyone, these are.......
The dog days of summer.
The Boston Globe has dozens of pictures of dogs having fun in the warm weather.
Enjoy! (requires registration)
