What is your pet’s New Year’s resolution?
Happy New Year’s readers! This year will mark nine years of writing “Pet Talk” and asking kids and adults to send me questions about pets. We continue to cover domestic dogs, cat, and other animals, and the occasional zoological question as well.
Let’s begin 2023 with an unusual premise:
What resolutions is your pet going to make this year? Yes, we know your pet can’t talk, so you need to interpret this question.
Amy Lantry-jue, formerly of Lunenburg reports her Boston terrier Sophie has resolved “to put up with me dressing her.” Sophie has worn doggie apparel since her puppy years, because Boston terriers “have to wear sweaters in cold weather due to their short fur,” she says. (Sophie has a full line of winter wear including a fleece-lined Union suit and a puffer vest by Canada Pooch.)
Jennifer Monte Bragdon’s beagle Arya’s resolution involves more travel.
Jenn and family were on the Cape during the holidays and reports “Arya had a busy day walking Mashpee Commons. They are very dog friendly on the Cape, so she got to go into stores and shop with us too.”
For Sheryl Blancato, CEO of Second Chance Animal Services (adoptable pets are regularly featured in “Pet of the
Week,”), she hopes “pet parents would resolve to use an ounce of prevention for a pound of cure by ensuring their pets are up to date on vaccines and their dogs are on heartworm preventative.” As for Sheryl’s own dogs: “I hope they resolve to stop hogging all the blankets so that I can also be warm LOL.” ( We can relate as our dog, Saryu is also a master blanketthief).
Charlene Burris of Brooklyn has a young orange Tabby who made his Christmas resolution after succumbing to curiosity about the family’s holiday decorations. He “couldn’t resist” a pop-up spiral tree and “got stuck inside, panicked, and ran upstairs with it still attached to him.” Kitty ran under the bed, which finally removed the tree. “He has not touched it since.”
Finally, you have to ask a Renaissance man for the top answer: Poet/ Chef/artist Chris Mulholland lives with a gray and white tabby and reports: “Harley Halo Tabbington the 2223rd resolves to better cover his poop so it looks more like a chocolate nonpareil.” With that image, we wish all our readers, and their menageries a very happy new year!