The Rat story got lost in one of those computer glitches much like those that cause the mystery of the missing sock or the missing pen but it basically goes like this. After being harassed for having my dog in the waiting room of the medical centre where my G.P. is (remember this is a placid, obedient hospital visiting dog who works with children), and being told ONCE AGAIN that it's a health risk (it's not and it's not a legal restriction in the health act), I was so fed up that I asked if they minded about the rat in my bag (which I didn't have) or the cockroach in my pocket.Yes, I'm sure they thought I was totally mad, but in the mean time while they were talking about the protection of children I had the two most beautiful toddlers crawling all over Pema who rolled on her back and lapped it up. I had a lady next to me being a lot more vocal than me (I was on the phone to the media) saying "What's the problem? We've been waiting her for an hour, this is a beautiful dog and look how happy she has made people."
Photo: MyPetRat.com I got to see the doc (for sedatives!) with dog sitting outside the treatment room. I was later threatened by the centre management that if I went there again with dog they would call the police. My initial discussions with the police indicated they could only remove us if we were disturbing the peace. Being that our presence contributes so much to the JOY of the people in the waiting room, this could be quite a fun media event.
On the other hand, I'm sick of it. Responsible owners will make responsible decisions about where to take their dog. Had Pema been unwell, unwashed, uptight or smelly, she would have had to be minded outside the centre.
As I had taken THE BUS, where else could I put her? If she got stolen (and it happens) if she was left outside when there was no reason for her not to be with me other than discrimination, the medical centre could be held liable!
So, the short story is that I AM GETTING A RAT. I'm researching them as pets and apparently they can be a good pet. It will be fun to have one in my bag when I get harassed for having my COMPANION dog being my COMPANION. And yes, I'll probably collect the next cockroach that dies near my home and put it in a small plastic container as well. And NO, I am not nuts (and both new pets will not come with us on hospital visits). I just work with LOGIC in a world that would rather make NO SENSE or act on emotion and rhetoric. If my dog was an unacceptable risk, then I wouldn't have her. And that is the rave for the moment...
