First Mutt: Toons I Wish I Could Have Done
By Pat Racimora on April 22, 2009 at 10:25 PM in Current Affairs
(Editor’s Note: Happiest birthday, Pat! Aren’t we all lucky she joined our motley crew of writers and added her highly creative cartoons that, like all good cartoons, speak volumes about an issue?)
This week marks my one year anniversary as a cartoon illustrator/writer for No Quarter. Over the last difficult 12 months there have been many cartoons I had hoped to create (e.g., Hillary Clinton: First Woman President!), but alas, now we have to make do with the President we have. This drawing represents one I wish I could have done about the First Family. Read my wished-for story below.
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Today Barack Obama’s family announced the adoption of a puppy from an animal shelter in Akron, Ohio. The Obama family had earlier announced their decision to do their part by providing a good home to a puppy that desperately needed one. Shelters from all over the country sent in photos and descriptions of available puppies that met the hypoallergenic requirement, given daughter Malia’s allergy to pet dander.
It was a difficult choice, but a 4-month-old mixed-breed puppy won over their hearts. “Phoenix,” as she is named, was flown in from Ohio to meet the family. “It was love at first sight,” said Michele Obama. “The girls are delighted. When she matures, she will be a perfect size for our living situation as well.”
Phoenix’s mother was a Poodle-Tibetan Terrier mix, and her father was a Miniature Schnauzer. These three breeds, along with over three dozen more, are designated as “hypoallergenic.”
At the much-awaited press conference, President Obama reminded Americans that now is a tough time for companion animals needing to be rescued. “Whereas many are unwanted and simply dropped off at shelters, increasing numbers are beloved pets that the owners can no longer care for,” Obama said. He also noted that families who have lost their homes often cannot take their dogs and cats with them because pets are not allowed or not appropriate to the relocation. The President added, “We have to remember that when people lose their homes, their pets lose their homes too. Anyone who can provide a caring and loving home for a pet needing a new family is encouraged to do so.”
The President, who once jokingly referred to himself as a “mutt,” has been widely praised for his decision. The role model provided by him and his family will surely encourage others to consider adopting a shelter or rescue cat or dog. “It required no new law and no vote by Congress, and yet the First Family’s decision pays tribute to the American spirit of helping those in need,” said Susan Symonds, an animals rights activist who has integrated several abandoned cats and dogs into her own family.
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OK, that’s the story I wanted to write. In the real world, puppy mills are no doubt already pumping out Portuguese Water Dogs while shelter animals continue to languish.
by Ronald Scott
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