Mahatma Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. In this country, we run the gamut. At one end, there are animals that are treated like family members, their every need thoughtfully attended to. At the other end, there are blatant acts of cruelty against animals like hoarding, puppy mills, dog fighting, and worse. Just the other day, I heard about 15 small dogs that were dumped in the middle of a busy road, some hit by cars not able to stop in time. There is no excuse for the inhumane treatment of animals.

Many of us are well intentioned and may not realize that what we are doing is not in the best interest of our pets. Animals don't speak our language. They are dependent on us for their needs—food, water, shelter, and love. We have to be their advocates. It is a big responsibility and one that should be taken seriously. Here are a few of my "pet" peeves when it comes to pet ownership.

• Feed your pet good food. Check the ingredient list. If it says "meat or poultry by-products", it means that the food contains meat processing waste which includes "4-D" animals. These are animals that are dead, diseased, dying, or disabled. This meat often contains tumors and drugs used to treat the animals before they died. You can buy quality food at pet stores, you just need to read the labels and leave behind those brands that use by-products.

• Don't declaw your cat or debark your dog. Declawing is not a simple surgery that removes a cat's nails. It is the amputation of the last bone of each toe. For a human, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle. Declawing is painful for the cat and can lead to future behavioral issues. Debarking your dog is just as cruel. Do your research and work to train your pet not to scratch in unwanted areas or bark inappropriately.

• Spay or neuter your pet. This is the best way to help reduce the overpopulation of animals.

• Don't leave your dog alone in a parked car. Dogs can easily suffer heatstroke which can be fatal, even if your car is parked in the shade with the windows open. A parked car with the windows opened slightly can reach over 100 degrees within ten minutes when it is 85 degrees outside. Within a half an hour, it can reach 120 degrees in the car. If you see a dog in a parked car, try to find the owner or call the authorities.

• Leave the bike at home. I cringe every time I see a dog being pulled along by an owner on a bike. The intention of wanting to exercise your pet is great, but it is dangerous for you and the pet. There are certain dogs that need a lot of exercise and biking may be the best way for you to give them the exercise they need. Please just be mindful when you are doing it. Let your dog set the pace. Your dog should be running ahead of the bike. Being on a leash and attached to a moving bike does not allow the dog to slow down or stop when needed. It can also create a road hazard for others around you. Why not join your dog on the ground and get yourself some more exercise?

• Don't buy your pet from a pet store or breeder. Save a life and go to your local shelter. Millions of perfectly adoptable animals are euthanized every year. When we get our pets from breeders and pet stores, we create consumer demand for them. There are numerous puppy mills that mass produce puppies and then sell them to animal dealers and pet stores.

• Secure your dog when driving. If you have a pickup truck, let your dog sit in the front with you, not in the back. Approximately 100,000 dogs die every year from falling or jumping out of a moving truck and a similar number are injured. If the dog has to ride in the back, consider getting a top so that the dog is enclosed. If this is not feasible, you can look into cross-tethering (securing a rope on both sides of the truck and making sure it is short enough so the dog does not jump while still chained) or securing a pet carrier. Pickup trucks are the worse offenders, but even riding in cars can be dangerous for dogs. You ride protected by a seatbelt. Why not show the same courtesy to your dog? There are dog car harnesses that you can buy. It is worth doing the research to provide a safe ride for your four-legged friend.

• When the going gets rough, don't leave your pet behind! Just because your pet is getting older and having more accidents on the carpet, doesn't mean it is time to get rid of it. Remember that you made a commitment for life when you brought your pet home. As animals get older, they are less likely to get adopted. There may be circumstances in your life where it is simply not possible to care for your animal any longer. In that case, do your best to find a good home. 

This may seem like a lot of responsibility, and it is. However, what you give to your pets, you get back magnified. A quote I came across recently said, “There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face”. How true this is. There are numerous studies that show positive physiological and psychological responses when people have contact with their pets. Research shows that pets lower our resting heart rate, reduce our blood pressure, increase our mood, and lower our anxiety. It has also been shown that survival rates for heart patients are higher among pet owners than non-pet owners, and that elderly people who own pets visit their doctor less.

Go give your pets a hug now and thank them for promoting your health. Do you vow to give them what they need for their best health?