Last Tuesday I attended a County Commissioner’s meeting here in Putnam County, Florida. I showed up to support the important issue of animal code enforcement which is truly needed here in this rural county. Recently, a young woman was rescued during a dog attack and there have been fatalities in this county as well as a neighboring one. Our Feral Cat population and TNR as well as Spay and Neuter also remain major issues of concern. 

I hadn’t intended to speak, but I felt compelled, and I’m not always comfortable with public speaking so that was a challenge. I filled out my “permission to speak for three minutes” form and added my thoughts on the matter inspired by my role as a Board Member for the Dog Writers Association of America, and as an animal advocate and concerned community member. 

In order to speak, one must confirm their name and residence. When I went to recite my current address however, I said 109 Longview Avenue, my old Hackensack address. The commissioner in front of me holding my speaker slip looked at me quizzically. I paused and laughed and explained that my childhood house number from Hackensack, NJ is the same as my current numerical house number. What were the chances of that? After correcting myself I carried on. 

I think I was still foggy, still processing the loss of my cousin’s son, the singer/entertainer Oliver Tree. As I’ve written, Last Saturday I’d stayed up past 1:00am to watch as his amazing Celebration of Life was live streamed from his home town of  Santa Cruz, CA. It was quite a production and its message and energy still linger. I also think his loss brought back so many family memories as I’m now missing close family members more than ever.

Then there is the new development that finds me on a planning committee for my High School’s 50th Class Reunion. That in and of itself can produce a great deal of nostalgia. It’s been enjoyable, but recently someone from my sister’s class, one year before mine, contacted me to see if I needed help finding classmates as there were so many siblings so close in age among our classes. She mentioned my sister was missed and thought of often and of course I had a moment. Then, another individual messaged offering help and as she’s organized a few reunions which she likened to herding wet kittens! 

And I flubbed on that reunion front as well. In my description of our event on a newly launched Facebook page, noting that 2077 would be here before we knew it. Somehow, my mind had combined the year of the actual event with our graduating year of ’77, hence the 2077. I figure that reunion will most likely take place in the afterlife, corrected error and carried on. 

I guess at that commissionsers meeting my mind was still sitting in the past, but my heart was there for the animals and those who love them in my current locale. As I continued to speak to the commissioners, I found myself making references to the widowed. I realized when I was speaking of the canine underdogs of the area, I was focusing on the plight of the widowed, too, often misunderstood and like a stray or displaced dog, a victim of circumstance beyond our control and often forgotten in the rush of the world.

There is change coming to this area in animal advocacy concerns. There are people working behind the scenes and officials who really do want to see change. It may be glacial and at times challenging, but I am happy to be a small part of it. We may literally be herding wet kittens, but in this case hopefully in the right direction. Nothing good ever seems to get done without clearing some obstacles along the way. “Small” strong steps pave the way for better days ahead for both humans and animals. I let the commissioners know I hope to share their success and good choices with a wide-audience. All paws crossed they will be paw-sitive role models.