To be honest, I’m not really a “dog” person. I’ve co-owned dogs, I’ve tolerated dogs, and sometimes I have even loved dogs. But at heart, I am and probably always will be a cat person. Cats are low maintenance. Cats don’t need to be walked or constantly petted. Cats usually don’t whine when you ignore them briefly when you’re busy. All in all, cats are easier to live with. Plus, they tend to be pretty and clean, even when you don’t bathe them.
That being said, dogs are great. Dogs are friendly, bursting with energy and full of unconditional love. Dogs are unfailingly loyal. Dogs are eager for attention and affection and willing to earn it if they must. But dogs are also needy. So freaking needy. That’s why it’s harder to be a dog owner than a cat owner. Dogs and cats may have similar lifespans but dogs require more care and attention throughout their lives. While any pet is a big commitment, a dog is probably the biggest commitment a person can make (besides, of course, marriage and babies. And even then, you can divorce a person; you cannot divorce your dog).
Despite their desperate need for love (and really, aren’t we all just desperate for love?) dogs make great pets. They fetch slippers, scare off prowlers and provide an incentive to exercise daily. I do not have a dog (like I said, I’m a cat person). However, when I walked into the back of Genie’s Treasured Pets this week, I was dying to take a dog home with me. They were all so cute and eager, kind of like the animal version of college freshmen.
These dogs also looked a little heart-broken and sad. I think they were sensing how sad their current caretaker Wayne Hill was. Wayne started his dog rescue program in 2006 out of his store Genie’s Treasured Pets. Wayne has since rescued and adopted out 341 dogs. Now Wayne is shutting down his program and selling his store because he is in violation of the Town of Millet’s Animal Control bylaw. The bylaw doesn’t require Wayne to shut down but it does require the town to fine him every time someone complains about the noise. And Wayne simply cannot afford any more expenses. He already spends about 7000 dollars a month, on average, caring for the stray dogs he rescues. Some of his costs are covered through generous donations and adoption fees but much of it comes from his own wallet. Wayne takes in strays and also takes dogs that are about to be euthanized from the pound. Some of these dogs have been abused, abandoned or malnourished. Wayne devotes his time to building these dogs back up into healthy, loving, well-adjusted animals.
Wayne’s devotion to his dogs (there are currently 24 adorable dogs ranging in age from puppy to five awaiting adoption) is truly touching. To others, these may be dogs but to Wayne, they are family. He knows their names and their stories by heart. He has about a dozen scrapbooks filled with photos of dogs he has rescued that have been adopted into a good home. These adoptive families often send photos and letters of gratitude thanking Wayne and his staff for making these dogs into loyal, loving pets. When he speaks about giving up his work with dogs - his passion – Wayne tears up, because it is all too much. He tears up, I think, because he has been beaten down for doing what he loves.
Some of the folks who live by Genies Treasured Pets don’t like the noise of the dogs barking, which is somewhat understandable. However, do these same people realize they live across from a freaking railroad track? Trains go through Millet at all hours and sound their whistle. Yes, there is an animal control bylaw in place, which states, “No animal shall be a nuisance.” One of the definitions of nuisance listed includes but is not limited to, “barking, howling, meowing, chirping or otherwise disturbing any person.” The Town of Millet does have a right to enforce this bylaw. Pets make noise. Pet owners need to ensure that their pets are not out of control. However, in the future, the town should consider making exceptions under extraordinary circumstances. Wayne Hill takes stray dogs in like they are lost babies. He saves them from being euthanized, from being abandoned and forgotten. That is extraordinary. Anyone who is interested in saving a dog can contact Wayne 780-387-2214.
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