DON’T HATE ME BECAUSE I’M HONEST
I feel that, in light of last night’s post, I should provide a little clarification – not a retraction. I am not anti-child or anti-baby in any way, shape or form. I am, however, pro-dog. And while it is technically not fair to compare apples to oranges, as a dog lover, I feel I have the right to speak my voice on what I feel is not fair.
I won’t delete my post – to do so would be ridiculous. I can admit that it was completely biased and opinionated, and that’s okay. In part, it was meant in humour. And the way in which the post was stylized and written was to provide the view from my perspective. On that token, each and every subsequent comment was equally valid.
One example:
While travelling on BC Ferries, those travelling with a dog but without a car are restricted and confined to a 10′x6′ metal-walled room on a lower car deck, in a direct breeze (with the exception of the newest vessels, the rooms are not sealed), containing a handful of hard, plastic chairs. And that’s it. That is the only option. Children are rightfully allowed on all passenger decks, but there is nothing preventing an unruly child from screaming and kicking the back of my chair while I read my magazine save for that child’s parents’ discipline. Otherwise, I either have to move seats or be okay with the behavior.
While the illustrations I provided in last night’s post were quite obviously exagerrated, as someone who has a preference for her dogs over children, I would like to see more options being granted to those with pets. I am by no means saying that dogs should be given carte blanche, but there is a time and place for everything – and everyone. For many dog owners, their dogs are their children and an indisposable part of the family unit.
In response to last night’s post, a friend of mine (who is also a parent of two) stated: “Personally, I think kids – unless they’re well behaved – belong in certain places and not others.” The truth of the matter is that each side of the argument has valid points. Both opinions deserve respect and tolerance because the opinions are all rooted in feelings that are real to the person feeling them. That is what is beautiful about blogging: I’ve stated my viewpoint and my opinion and I encourage you to now do the same…
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I don’t know. You still haven’t mentioned anything about hamsters. I don’t know, man.
or those unruly goldfish.
I know my dog behaves better then a kid with the terrible twos…and he’s not even 1 year old!!
To this post and your reply to the earlier post:
I agree. The example you give here is a perfect example of something that should be changed and is really not acceptable. From an allergy standpoint, I’m not sure you could allow dogs in ALL enclosed passenger compartments, but as a bare minimum, allowing them on any open decks/seating areas (I’m assuming your ferries have them) is not too much to ask.
Also, I was smiling the entire time I read your previous post. I fully got it and was not upset in the least. I just thought it deserved a little rebuttal and I’m glad to see that you took it the way I intended and did not get bent about my comments. I guess that’s just an extension of why I enjoy reading what you write.
I hope you have a great day and “your little dog too!”
Thanks for the understanding, Joel – glad you saw the tongue-in-cheek nature of it! As far at the allergy standpoint goes, it’s seemingly something that can never really be solved. I, myself, am really bothered by a lot of perfumes, but it’s not something I can avoid in public places either. Unfortunately, allergies are seemingly a problem that will never have a definite solution.
Hi Keira,
As someone who is very allergic to animals (I have bad allergies in general) and is also a little scared of dogs, I have to say I’m glad that animals aren’t allowed on the decks of the ferries.
That being said, I totally see your point and I definitely understand that a lot of people view their pets as children. If I had a pet, I would feel exactly the same way.
Of course, people are allergic to everything, and you can’t outlaw everything on a ferry or bus, or any other place. That would be like saying people who wear strong perfume are confined to a Perfume Room, and people who eat peanuts have to eat in the Peanut Online room
Thanks for bringing another perspective I wouldn’t have realized otherwise.
I really enjoy the controversy around this topic !!!
I’ve shoveled the poop of my neighbor’s dog off my lawn and my car has a small dent where his kid tossed a rock.
So I plant the blame or the praise of the kid/dog issue squarely on the adult in charge of either and I believe that both, if allowed on a plane, should be tossed back to the last three rows.
I haven’t read the comments on the previous post, I’ll go take a look at them now, but I did read the post – and I approved.
As the “father” of two cats, I can relate in terms of travel. No, I’m not going to drug them so they can fly in some cargo-hold across the country, thank you very much. They go w/ me on the plane. One of them started to meow a bit as the plane was taking off (Philly to Van) and I got a nasty look from the woman sitting across from me. The same woman who was holding a SCREAMING baby. You’d think that she might just understand that a cat would be as frightened as her child when an airplane starts to make all that noise and lift off the ground. Frankly, I’m not sure how she even heard my cat, her child was a heck of a lot louder.
Later in that same flight one of the attendants said “you can take the cats out, one at a time, and hold them in your lap if you’d like”. That attendant became my new best friend. She was clearly a pet owner.
Somehow, I’m being bombarded by Vancouver in my RSS feeds this week.
You might like this: http://www.bsbrewing.com/blog/?p=746
Yes, the allergies are a problem. I’m glad I don’t have any but I think I’m overly concerned about them with my wife because her reaction is so strong and I have no first person experience.