I had a mixed reaction to 'The Idle Parent' story of the family pets' comings and goings and killings (accidental or not). For the record, I am not some city dweller or vegetarian who has an out of touch or overly sensitive view on animals; I grew up in rural Ohio where many friends had farms and several stories of this nature. (I remember one friend had a pet baby squirrel they had rescued, who then came to a sad end when their mom did the laundry - the squirrel had nestled inside the clothes basket that went into the wash. Sigh.)
Yes, these kids learn many lessons about the cycle of life and (where their food comes from in the case of the pigs); but I also feel there was an off-handed, casual kind of attitude regarding the lives of these pets. Growing up and to this day, my cats are always indoors and they lead very long, safe, protected lives. We have a crazy chihuahua right now, inherited from my mother who passed away, and we watch over him with the utmost care as we have coyotes in the area. I never leave him unattended in the yard, or walk with him in certain areas at night where coyotes have been sighted, and he is always on a leash when we walk due to cars or other dogs that could pose a threat.
I guess I mean to say that our animals are true family members and I feel a tremendous responsibility for their lives and safety. Accidents and illnesses may still happen to a pet, but teaching a child to nurture and respect an animal through its life span is still a worthy goal. I am now pregnant with our first child and I hope our child does not have a string of random animals that pass in and out of his life, all with a shrug, a few tears and a 'that's the way it goes' from his parents.
