Why is a the sight of a lame or three-legged dog so hard to bear, a blind or deaf cat seen to be suffering or that elderly pet ‘needing to be put down for its own sake’ just so we don’t have to watch the poor old thing bumbling along. Unfortunately, the human heart bleeds for imperfection, in direct contrast to the animal heart which accepts a disability and moves on.

In youth we don’t ask for much, we expect it. The perfect partner, the perfect home, the perfect life and of course the perfect healthy pet. Totally achievable, right? It’s a bitter pill to swallow when prince charming turns amphibian, financial success remains an enigma, the average 2.5 kids never eventuate and the canine or feline companion end up with early onset osteoarthritis, a dickey ticker, diabetes, cancer or even worse. So what happened to ‘perfect’?

Perfect just got more interesting that’s all. With age comes knowledge that the scars and disabilities either born with or collected over the years, known as life’s little imperfections, can lead to an extra-ordinary and prolonged existence not just for humans but now for our pets. The illusion of perfect (having all the required or desirable elements) is overshadowed by the fabulous reality of imperfection-otherwise known as ‘character’.

Improvements in health care and nutrition have crossed over into the animal field. Accessible and innovative treatment modalities now help to maintain comfortable and long lives for those lucky enough to have ‘character’ (with the help of readily accessible pet insurance to pay for it).
The non-judgmental heart and soul of an animal just keeps getting better while bits are failing or falling off. They live fully in the moment, loving owners being all that is required to make life ‘perfect’ for them.

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