Woman's best friends are well pampered

Megan Kawa

 

Whether it's Paris Hilton carrying around her petite Chihuahua in her oversized purse or students calling to talk to their dogs while on vacation, it's an undeniable fact that Americans love their pets.  Maybe a little too much.

 

Going to Australia and New Zealand for two weeks on June 2001, put senior Katrina Smart slightly on edge.  "I was really afraid my dogs would miss me after two weeks, so I would call [home] everyday to make sure my dogs were okay.  I would call, not to talk to my parents, but to my dogs," she said.

 

However, pet obsession doesn't seem to enter Smart's mind, "I wouldn't consider myself pet obsessed...we're a pretty dog obsessed family.  He [her dog] always sleeps with someone.  If my dog were sick or something, we wouldn't go on vacation, we would stay home to take care of my dog," she said and then reconsiders the label.  "I want to be a veterinarian, so maybe I am a little bit pet obsessed."

 

On the other hand, sophomore Stephanie Jackson considers herself plain out cat crazy.  When mentioning her pet cat, she said, "I think of her as a friend.  I have more pictures of her than anyone."

 

Jackson recalls the fear she felt after her cat, Baby, was spayed.  "It was really scary because we didn't know what was wrong with her," she said.  As it turned out, Baby had developed internal bleeding when the incision was made, but was soon in recovery.

 

Not only is Baby considered Jackson's friend, but also a form of entertainment.   Jackson said, "One of my friends was over, and we were taking pictures of everything we were doing," and adding Baby to every picture. 

 

Jackson laughs as she recalls her feline's energetic tendencies. "She has random hyper sprees and runs into doors," she said.

 

Now don't go and sell any of the teachers short when it comes to pet obsession.  "We're an animal world here," said choir director, Miss Cathy Pruitte, referring to the amount the pet love within the Marian faculty and staff.  They have plenty of their own pet-loving stories and some even have pictures of their pets on their desks.

 

Religion teacher, Miss Pat Travis' dog, Jesse, attends doggie day care two days a week.  He is usually quiet but once he enters the day care, he acts all proud and barks loudly at the other dogs.  "He even walks different," said Travis.

 

Travis doesn't have a problem with taking Jesse to the vet.  "I know it's for his own good," she said.  "He just thinks the world is there to love him" and the veterinarian is "just one more person to love him," Travis said.

 

Travis tends to bring her dog into conversations with students, however, she doesn't talk about Jesse during class, "unless there is some connection with what is going on in class," said Travis.

 

Pruitte said her dog, Madlyn Marie, is "like attached to me...she just kinda goes with me."  About once a month, she brings Madlyn Marie to school with her to either go running around on the school land or to grab something she needs from school.  However, Pruitte doesn't bring her dog to school when she needs to work or study.  "She's a mover...she'd be too busy," she said. 

 

Pruitte said that Head of School, Miss Elizabeth Kish, doesn't mind it when she brings Madlyn Marie into school because, "Miss Kish is a dog and cat person," said Pruitte.  "She sometimes brings her dog to school on the weekends," Pruitte said, "so her dog doesn't have to be alone all day."  She also allows the staff to bring their dogs to Walk-a-thon and Field Day. 

 

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