Not long ago former District 80 Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher posted on social media that she had lost a battle of wills with her husband County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher.
In a following post she attached a photo of a dog with a head that appeared to be as massive as a block of marble.
The family had adopted a dog from an animal shelter.
It was Nathan’s idea.
It’s worth mentioning that not long after Gonzalez posted a follow up indicating their new dog had chewed up one of her shoes.
Anyone who knows the former lawmaker knows her love of shoes is equal to if not greater than her love of labor unions. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to conclude the newcomer would find himself in the doghouse or out on the street given the effrontery of the newcomer’s behavior.
(But being a lawyer Gonzalez Fletcher must also know that short of eyewitness accounts, DNA evidence or surveillance footage, the pup was in fact innocent of destruction of property and the evidence she offered was circumstantial and flimsy.)
Without conceding any responsibility or knowledge of how the footwear was destroyed, I contend that collateral damage aside her eventual consent to welcome the dog into her home will yield more positives than negatives. That goes for anyone.
Across the country animal shelters are hosting Clear the Shelter campaigns in an effort to find homes for the animals housed under their roofs—dogs, cats, kittens, birds, rabbits. Many, including the local humane society, are offering reduced fees to encourage adoption.
Adopting an animal companion is a rewarding experience for both parties. The animal is presumably welcomed into a home that will attend to its basic needs while the caregiver will find they are the recipients of affection and nearly unconditional love
(I say unconditional because anyone who has owned a cat can tell you that more often than not it feels as though we live to serve their needs and their affection for us is based on how well we service them, but it’s a subservient role we welcome.)
The care of an animal companion isn’t cheap and without commitment, but the fulfillment and benefit of caring for another being is rewarding, even if you do lose a shoe or two.
