I’ve always been a dog person. In my personal experience, cats are weird and antisocial. I prefer friendly animals that prefer me back. Dogs are like any mom’s best friend. Without my rescue terrier(ish) dog Twinkie, I would be the only one cleaning up under the highchair, being chased by the toy stroller, and tolerating the toddler‘s insistent curiosity. Twinkie rocks the toddler-time responsibilities.
This past Saturday in Coppell was the 4th Annual “Run for Retrievers” 5K and 1M Fun Run. The run was benefitting the DFW Labrador Retriever Rescue Club and was hosted by Run On. There were all kinds of black, white, yellow, chocolate, and doodle labs running around and playing with each other, and consequently, there were lots of owners tied up in leashes.
I’ve never heard of any event benefiting a feline — no, I won’t Google it. Nobody would ever go to a 5K Siamese Cat Rescue Run, as that would be a total flipping disaster. Cats would be everywhere being antisocial. There wouldn’t be a bobbing for hot dogs booth or a kissing booth or a Glam-fur photos booth, or any kind of booth with a sense of humor — just a bunch of grumpy cat booths. Also, there would be no running; cat people are swimmers or something ironic like that.
Like I said, I’m a dog person. I may have a 25-pound terrier — that I begrudgingly named after a spongy fattening food — but I am comfortable enough with myself that I realize big dog and especially retriever dog people are cooler than me, and not fake cool — they have a universal sense of humor, they make great conversationalists, they are confident, awesome, and they name their dogs ruggedly splendid names like Cowboy, Sid and Pluto.
I went out to the Run for Retrievers to support my dog-niece Reba, a black lab rescue from the Arlington Animal Shelter five years ago. Just adopting a Labrador alone has done a wonder for my sister’s personality. Trust me.
I was very surprised that Reba wasn’t in better shape; her unconditional love of chasing tennis balls evidently hasn’t kept her in tip-top lab form. Reba and my sister signed up to run the 5K (it’s only 3.1 miles), which they both walked then bailed 2/3 of the way through to go eat pancakes. They are perfect for each other.
But, before we left, we did visit all the fun booths and got to meet a bunch of people (which is not optional if you have a lab) and a lot of other dogs (even a bulldog named Boomer, who thought he was a lab). There were a ton of foster dogs out at the event looking for forever-homes, and people collecting money to support the Rescue. Here’s where you can donate money directly. Also, North Texas Giving Day starts this Thursday, Sept. 19 at 7 a.m. Please go to donorbridgetx.org and choose DFW Lab Rescue as your charity of choice.
So, if you are responsible and want to increase your coolness, generally want to acquire a better sense of humor, or don’t want to clean up the food under your kid’s highchair, go rescue a Lab from the DFW Retriever Rescue. I don’t care if you are a big dog person, small dog person, cat person, bunny person, gerbil person, or a pet rock person. PLEASE ADOPT — DON’T BUY.
Do you have a Labrador retriever? Did you adopt? Am I wrong about cats? If you are a foster parent for a puppy or dog, please share your photos, organization and contact info with me, (crystal@bubblelifemedia.com), and I’ll do my best to get it out to the BubbleLife Community.