One of the reasons we don’t have any pets is because of the possible six month quarantine required when we move back to Australia. But that hasn’t stopped me from wanting one.
Maxxy making himself at home on my kitchen floor.
I have heard so many stories of pets in quarantine losing all their hair/fur, not remembering their owners, changing personalities that I resigned myself to a petless expat life. I do have friends however that have travelled and relocated well with their pets. One has two cats who moved from the UK, to Oman, to Malaysia then Indonesia then back to the States. Another took her two large dogs to live in India with her. And yet another refuses to leave her home country because she will not move or leave her aging cats.
Pettravel and other websites provide extensive information on immigration and quarantine regulations by country so you have the facts. The facts however do not help much with the emotional decisions of whether or not you travel with or without them. Will they get sick, traumatized, become unhappy (one friend had her dog on doggy Prozac) will they even survive the journey? Would it be better to leave the pet behind and how can we do that? As the old saying goes, pets are for life and not just for Christmas. When we have children it adds more heart-string pulling factors to the decision.
For each expat family it is a very personal decision – and for some it is a no brainer. Have pet… pet part of family… therefore pet will travel. I personally decided against it – yet I wondered last week if the universe was telling me otherwise.
A cute little pooch (and believe me I am a cat and NOT a dog person) followed me home whilst I was out running the other morning and refused to budge. I got him a little food and he followed me around the house. He also followed/wormed/snuck deeper and deeper into my heart chambers as the day and owner-search wore on. By evening, I had grown ridiculously attached to him and was quite sad when I took him for a walk near where he had latched onto me in the hopes that kids or neighbors out in the evening would recognize him – and they did. He was duly returned to his rightful owners who were still at work and blissfully unaware of his absconding.
And the serendipity (… a propensity for making fortunate discoveries while looking for something unrelated.) piece? As I said I am not a dog person but last week I wrote a blog – Old dogs new tricks - and a FaceBook wall post – What does an agnostic, dyslexic do when he can’t sleep? Stays up all night wondering if there is a dog. Which is two more references to dogs than I would normally make in about ten years. And then the day after Maxy went home, I found another dog happily at home in my back yard. My dear friend Heather sent me this set of questions one must ask themselves if they find a dog has entered their lives….. so just in case a dog ever follows you home ask yourself…
- What is this saying about your need for or lack of companionship?
- Are you being faithful?
- Are others around you?
- Are you showing unconditional love, or receiving it?
- Do you need to be more protective of your territory?
- Do you need to play a little more?
- Are you being faithful to yourself?
- Does your spirit need bolstering?
- How about those around you?
(from Ted Andrews “Animal Speak”) And that my friends, that gave me a lot to think about! I wonder if that means there is a God….
Tip 1 for 2011: Observe the coincidences or serendipitous events that are punctuating your life, and reflect upon them with curiosity.
