Perils and Possibilities

This from Craigslist:

Tails Pet Media Group, Inc. is seeking a part-time editor to join our growing collection of award-winning pet magazines.... We are seeking a motivated, detail-oriented journalist who enjoys writing about animals and is capable of assisting in editorial-related tasks. Main duties include writing local pet news, maintaining and compiling local pet resources, and assisting in content management for website.... Candidates who are involved in the Chicago pet community or who have pet(s) are encouraged to apply.

I'm familiar with Tails (the magazine). I used to get my copy in the recreational center where my daughter had her tennis lessons. I particularly remember the August 2009 issue on pet loss: what happens to the dog, cat, or iguana who survive us? Who will look after them?

According to Chicago estate planning attorney Lindsey Markus (LindseyMarkus.com), 40 states and the District of Columbia currently have pet-trust laws enacted or statutes allowing for the creation of a pet trust....

It is imperative to establish a legally binding method of ensuring that your pet is cared for if you die or become disabled. In addition to making informal, temporary arrangements for the care of your pet, you must also make formal arrangements that specifically address the long-term care of your pet.

This is serious stuff -- I'm glad Tails brought it to my attention. Pet owners agonize over finding a reliable pet sitter for the weekend. What if your pooch or pussycat needs a permanent sitter... for years? That's the scenario if you're out of commission or you've "slipped this mortal coil." If you value your pet, you have to look at contingency planning.

Tails also has a delightful site. How can you resist celebrities and their pets, Tails' Reader Poll ("What do you think should be the maximum number of pets allowed per household?") or the Furry Forum ("Our experts answer your questions")?

When I saw that Tails had an opening, I thought "I know these folks. I like their work. Neat job." Until I reached the end of the ad. "This is an on-site position" (their office is located too far from my home in the hinterlands) and the "pay is $10-$12 an hour depending on experience" ("Depending on experience"? Sheesh. Unemployment compensation "pays" $12/hour.)

I didn't have long to bemoan the loss. Later that day, I received a chilling email:

The Dairyland Race Track in Kenosha, Wisconsin, will be closing on December 31, 2009. Some 900 Greyhounds need to be adopted or they will be euthanized. Only 6 weeks to get this task done.

As a pet owner, I was alarmed. As a greyhound admirer, I was appalled (greyhounds are the best argument for intelligent design). To think: used for sport, then tossed aside.

Thankfully, euthanasia isn't a given. There seems to be another, encouraging side to the story (if we can believe it) -- in a Nov. 19 press release, Dairyland Greyhound Park claims that

Wisconsin State law provides that the greyhounds are to be adopted to new homes, sent to another racetrack for racing purposes or returned to their owners. Our kennel compound will remain open until all greyhounds are properly placed.

We do not know at this current time how many greyhounds in total will become available for adoption until we finish racing on December 31st, 2009.

I'm no authority on Wisconsin State law. I just hope the race track honors its word. (For those interested, a Nov. 10 article in the Racine Journal Times discusses the track's closing and its impact, including the loss of 180 jobs.)

If you know of anyone who might want to adopt one of these magnificent creatures: "Contact Joanne Kehoe, Operations Director at 312.559.0887 or the Dairyland Race Track Adoption Center direct at (262) 612-825."

I'd consider adopting one of my own. Because I'm unemployed, I have ample time to walk a dog (and the exercise would do me good). However, we already have enough pets. And, as we know, greyhounds are sight dogs prized for their coursing (that astounding, innate ability to spot and chase game). Put him/her in a household of cats... The last thing I need is a 60-pound racing machine rocketing through the dining room. (Others contend that "It is a myth that no greyhound can live with cats. Many greyhounds and cats live happily together.")

While we debate whether the "greyhound can abide with the tabby," let's end with this uplifting video on greyhound adoption.