We don’t give animals credit enough…

Jennifer Vanderau
Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter

(11/2022) I think animals are capable of more abilities than a lot of people give them credit for.

From time to time I've heard people say things like, "Oh, it's just a dog" and I think to myself, there's no such thing as "just" a dog.

Recently I was talking to a gentleman about how amazed he was that his dog always knew where the ball was in the house, even if he, himself, couldn't find it. He said to me, "He knows the ball's under the couch. My word that dog is smart."

My mom had a Yorkie/Poodle mix who would play a game with her every night before they went to sleep. Goldie loved toys – as is no surprise for those little squirts – and before she would let Mom begin their nightly game of fetch and retrieve, she had to make certain all the toys were on the bed.

The crazy part of this story is that if Goldie got on the bed and the requisite number of toys weren’t there, she would search until she found them. She would actually gather the toys for Mom to throw and she wouldn’t start the game until all the toys were there.

I had actually witnessed this one Christmas and still have a hard time believing it. Mom misses that little girl, but I know Goldie’s at the Rainbow Bridge with a whole bunch of animals waiting for my mom and dad.

Years ago, I took a Boxer from the shelter out for a visit. Getting her into the van to go was quite a trial because she didn't want to ride in the crate. After our visit, she really didn't want to get back in for the return trip. Instead of struggling, I figured since we weren't that far from the shelter, she'd be okay not to ride in the crate (the van's enclosed and really quite safe).

The amazing thing is that as soon as I closed the door of the crate, she jumped right in the back of the van, no problem. It was as though she knew with the door to the crate closed, I wouldn't put her in it. How else would she have made that connection unless she in some way understood what that crate was for?

I'm telling you, dogs are not dumb.

I also believe animals have feelings. They grieve when a pet dies. They are happy when their human Mom or Dad comes home. And they're so capable of forgiveness.

I’ll never forget the morning I was playing a game with one of my feline babies and when she went to jump up, I was reaching down to pet her and my hand clunked her head. Oh my word, she looked at me like I was Attila the Hun and scampered away so fast. Lord, I felt so bad. I said, "Oh, Shreddy, honey, Mama's sorry. She didn't mean to hit you."

She turned around and gave me a dubious look, but the longer I spoke in a quiet, remorseful tone, she eventually walked back and began our game anew.

Can you imagine this? She started purring again. Talk about the ability to forgive.

I've witnessed an animal's capacity to think and feel so many times that it's difficult for me to understand people who don't believe it.

For those who look at an animal and see only an animal, I wonder how narrow their view of other aspects of the world must be, you know? What do you think it takes to be able to see the potential in people or animals or really, anything?

I imagine the first step would be realizing that in a lot of circumstances, there could be more than what meets the eye. I almost feel bad for people who are incapable of seeing more than what's in front of them because I think of everything they may be missing out on in life.

To deny that something could be possible just because we’ve never witnessed it or believed it seems sometimes rather short-sighted.

I want to always try to be as open minded as I can, especially where animals are concerned. I think there's so much we can learn from our four-legged friends and if they're capable of thinking and feeling and forgiving, we should be too.

And that, right there, may be one of the best lessons of all.

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Jennifer Vanderau is the Publications and Promotions Consultant for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter and can be reached at cvascomm@cvas-pets.org. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at 263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg. Help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the store.