Petfinder.com = internet dating for dogs (and cats).

New pets in the news  — you have seen the new first pup Bo’Bama, right? — have suddenly spurred lots of spirited discussion about ways to find a new pet.  Hey, when looking for just the right pal and simultaneously trying to run a (messed up) country, their path seemed as reasonable a method as any.  So this dog did not work out in his first home, and now he gets a really nice house;  it’s all good.  And, none of our business, really.  I think the First Family set a fine example by carefully considering and researching their pet before adopting.

I found our last cat on petfinder.com, a centralized search site for adoptable pets.  I spent many late evenings, when all reasonable members of my household were sleeping, browsing the selection of kittens available in my area.  Petfinder lets you set pet parameters such as breed, age, size, gender;  then gives you the closest geographic matches, most from shelters or foster homes.  I viewed so many little kitten faces, many of them carefully posed by those marketing geniuses at the shelters. After viewing hundreds of cat photos and profiles, I found The One I wanted.  Big D did foolishly ask, given that there might be several thousand cats in our state, why were we driving to Indiana to get a kitten?  But when internet dating, sometimes you make a connection…  OK, so I never actually did internet dating for a human, but I guess it would be the same???

Recently we did another online search for a possible second dog.  Same deal — I was sure we would “know her when we saw her.” Most of the dogs have a little backstory written with all kinds of romantic, enticing details (there are those marketing folks again)… Tabitha the dog likes long walks by the beach and snuggling by the fire on a snowy evening.  Lola the dog likes drinking pina coladas, and taking walks in the rain…  you get the picture.  But it is the eyes of the animal in the photo — that’s the match-maker for me.  This time, we both did the searching, but did not find The One.  It was not the right time for the right dog.  Someday.

So, for now, our pup has her neutered dog pal next door.  The cat is safe from another possible predator.  We will watch vicariously as another family enjoys their new pet.  Welcome home, Bo.  Just don’t chew anything that belonged to Lincoln, or you will be in big trouble, little fella.