Dog-ma Double Standards

Every time I think that the President is going to present a good example -- as he does by being a good family man -- I am disappointed.

The latest doggie debacle seems to be par for the course. When Biden purchased a dog from a breeder, I was certain it was to test the waters. After there was disapproval, I thought that the First Family would surely step to the plate and show the humane option of rescuing a pet from a shelter.

Now, I don't mean to say that no one should ever buy from a breeder -- a responsible breeder, I should say. There are folks who have many considerations they must meet when finding a new animal companion, and they need the certainty of a pure-bred.

And I don't doubt Malia has allergies. But what other need was there for selecting a pure-bred dog by the Obama family? They had their pick of the entire sheltered nation, and a full staff to help deal with the new addition. Surely, a hypoallergenic hound could have been found somewhere in one of the numerous pounds or rescue organizations across out nation.

I'm highly skeptical of the reports that pure-bred Porties are hard to find in shelters. I did a search on www.petfinder.com  for my zip code (adding the parameter of only dogs that are good with kids) and there were four Porties listed and three Portie-Poodle mixes. (There were eight more in the zip I grew up in on the northwest side of Chicago.) I'm sure people would have lined up to volunteer their sniffers to test a multitude of mutts.

But no. Another poor pooch will be sent to doggie heaven that could have had a home on Pennsylvania Avenue. And as usual, the guilt was assuaged -- with a donation to a shelter.

So far, BO has sent his girls to a private school while letting the demise of D.C. vouchers for their classmates remain a possibility. He talks of reducing carbon footprints, but then flies a hairdresser and stylists to Europe, and flies a pizza chef to the White House. Next we'll find out they're using poisonous pesticides in their garden.

I don't expect the guy to be perfect -- not everyone can walk the walk like Ed Begley, Jr. -- but he doesn't even seem to be trying all that hard, other than with lip service and blood money.

Yep, he's cute. Just makes you forget all those pitiful pets who won't find a home this week, and will be destroyed instead.

Comments

[Pat]

Maybe, instead of watching a poor pooch linger in shelter limbo (since BO was cruel enough to pass him/her over), we could just have Sarah Palin pick the pooch off with a high-powered rifle from a hovering helicopter -- put it out of its misery.

[jessica johnson]

I understand the principal here, but there are bigger and better things to be concerned with. The president's first pooch doesn't deserve or need this much press or discussion. And the "blood money" comment was a low blow. For all we know, that donation may allow the shelter to provide better, longer care for other dogs.