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People with animals tend to compare domestic animals to children because that is what they are: dependents that we have adopted to live in our homes. They demand care, give affection, and yes, cause tensions just as any family member would. But there's a difference; to many people, they are seen as throwaway product. Go to any animal shelter and you will find the results of unplanned pregnancies, cages full of inconvenient naughty teenagers, and old folks left behind on the side of the road. It's heartbreaking, and for this reason animal lovers can seem fierce.
But there's no denying old animals take time, patience, and an extraordinary amount of care. This letter writer did not know this; then again, she did not adopt the dog. He is her step-dog, which can be a tricky relationship. She doesn't love the dog like her husband does, but at least she's trying to cope. I suspect she wrote the letter in hopes that Cary would give her the go ahead to euthanize it, but happily, he gave her responsible advice. Vets can often treat incontinence, and give her more ideas on how to handle an aging pet. Having cared for many old, sick animals, I can vouch that it's difficult, and at times exasperating, disgusting, and inconvenient. All of those things the letter writer feels. She doesn't deserve to be pilloried. She needs constructive help from a vet and her husband.
