I have shed some tears for Hank. I really feel for his family and their genuine pain. I know how hard it is to go through the grieving period. I really wish them well.
You see, Hank was our patient. We knew him from when he was a little guy. We have known his family as clients for, I estimate, 15 years or more. I remember his dad as a young man, coming into our first location with Sammy, another furry family member. Hey, we were BOTH young then. I have really grown up and grown wise while working at the clinic, and these long term bonds with clients are more than "just business."
(edit, it turns out that Hank was born in 2002. He was only eleven years old. That's a pretty short life for a pampered indoor cat. Most of our patients can expect to see 17 or beyond. Hank's dads did not get enough time with him, they really did not.)
Hank had thousands of fans all over the world; something like 67,000 likes on his facebook page. An astounding 7500 voters wrote Hank's name in during the 2012 election here in Virginia, "throwing their votes away" in order to make a statement about both animal welfare and the fitness to serve of the human candidates. It was the worst campaign season I have ever lived through. The attacks by the candidates on each other were both toxic and disgusting.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/hank-cat-senate-third_n_2101887.html
But not Hank's campaign, it was clean and thoughtful. He stayed focused on animal welfare and his team also spun in issues of acceptance and tolerance. How can anyone say we do not need these things?
His "campaign managers" did a smashing job of taking the issue of animal welfare out into the real world of politics. Frankly, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart and mind, Hank's "advisers" are better qualified humans to serve in office than any of the career politicians serving now. And I mean ALL the politicians, every last snake and corporate puppet.
I understand that his dads have been told by many fans that they *should* run for office. I do understand their reluctance. Hank had star power. He was photogenic and personable. We mere humans, his dads included, just can't add up to the super star powers of Hank.
I want to end this part of my blog with a positive thought. Let nothing toxic touch the memory of Hank, and let his pet parents know peace. They are good fellows and Hank was one-of-a-kind. Have peace, and in time, know joy when you remember Hank and his short but spectacular life.
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| Puppy break! Please ignore the shirtless beer-drinking Lorax in the background... |
This week another animal welfare issue had its first anniversary. On February 12th we mourned the day that Gabriel Pilotti shot Argus and Fiona to death for the mere insult of walking on his lawn.
(warning, graphic details)
He literally called Argus to him and then blew his head off from less than 6 feet away. Fiona attempted to flee but he shot her, reloaded his shot gun, and then chased her into a corner of his back fence and shot her again, killing her. I can not tell you how terrifying, horrifying, this incident was to me and the many pet guardians who pay attention to things like this. From the time the dogs climbed over their family's damaged fence to the time they were killed was a tiny 20 minutes. Alive, and then horribly killed in just the blink of a human's life. I admit I know that one or both could have been hit by a car and died during the same 20 minutes. I have been through that very scenario myself. But accidents are so very different than willful slayings.
This incident still haunts me. I look out my door at my fence every morning, checking for downed trees. I check that the gate is closed multiple times a day now. I was already vigilant, but now it is a bit more compulsive.
I am glad Pilotti was convicted of animal abuse. I am glad he had to surrender his gun. I am not sure how long he will be gun-less or that he even feels remorse. It is hard for a leopard to change its spots. I hope his bad decision haunts him. I hope he feels traumatized by all the bad press, and hate mail. His own neighborhood turned against him, as it should. Who shoots a neighbor's dogs for no reason and brags about it? I can only guess at the mental pathology of this person. I can tell you I wouldn't want to live with him as a neighbor.
I am struggling here to end this part on a positive note. There is a whole lot of pain in life. I would not want add to it. I do not want the negative energy of Pilotti to bleed into my blog. So, here it the positive thought: By convicting Pilotti the legal system has precedence to stand up to property owners who hurt helpless animals who stray on to their property. This was a SCORE for the animal welfare crowd.
We will over come. We will speak for helpless, just as my husband James has stood up and spoken (often) for the trees. (and the natural world and dolphins)
Shame shame shame, change change change
Then, let there be peace.
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