Before Gov. John Baldacci’s mother died last year, she insisted that if he won the election for the Blaine House that he take her dog, a springer spaniel named Murphy, with him.
Her insistence ensured the dog a good home, but also ensured that Gov. Baldacci – who may now have the most stressful job in Maine – will get the kind of relaxation and devotion that a dog’s presence and love bring.
Mama Baldacci’s request was undoubtedly an emotional one, but she was right. Dogs aren’t known as man’s best friend by accident. They’ve earned it.
It’s disturbing then, that so many dogs are abused and ignored.
Animal rescue leagues are so concerned with potential abuse and neglect that they discourage giving pets as Christmas presents because after the initial excitement wanes, pets can be a handful to take care of. When that happens, people can lose interest and stop providing the kind of care an animal needs.
Across this country between 8 and 10 million dogs and cats are surrendered to animal shelters every year, and these are not newborns. These are animals that are older than 6 months and people have just grown tired of them or didn’t pay attention to training and cannot handle an out-of-control animal.
Humans are at the root of these sad statistics, not animals.
Law enforcement officials pay close attention to animal abuse because when someone abuses an animal, they might be more likely to abuse a fellow human being. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has known about this link since the 1970s, and research centers have gathered mountains of evidence supporting the connection over the past 25 years.
As clear as the connection is between animal cruelty and violence against humans, there is just as strong a connection between the animal and human bonds that increase happiness and longevity of life for both. That’s why nursing homes and hospitals frequently hold pet nights, to give residents an opportunity to visit with an animal, reducing stress and increasing comfort.
We will see much of the Baldacci family dog in the coming years. He’s as much a public figure as the rest of the family and we’ll get a chance to share in the joy this animal will bring to the Blaine House.
Our concern is with the other pets in Maine, those who aren’t fortunate enough to be well cared for and safe.
If you know an animal is being abused, don’t ignore it. Report it. Maine law will punish the abuser.
How we treat our pets is a reflection of our humanity.
Public safety
Saturday could have been a dreadful day in Lewiston.
It wasn’t because there was little support for the supremacist group’s message, but also because police and city officials took the threat to public safety seriously and developed a plan that protected the city, its residents and its visitors.
The Lewiston Police Department and city officials get heaps of blame when they make mistakes.
What they deserve this week is our thanks and appreciation for the work they did Saturday and the advance work done in previous weeks that kept danger at bay.
In particular, Lewiston Police Chief William Welch and City Administrator Jim Bennett led the effort to make public safety a priority. They did fine work.
jmeyer@sunjournal.com
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