Animal Stories from All-Creatures.org




Dog Is Love

From Bob Linden, GoVeganRadio
Facebook posting, June
June 10, 2022

As I see it, there is more love in one dog than all of humanity. There is more unconditional loyalty, devotion, and affection in one dog than all of humanity.... Most people knew me as "the guy with Daisy."

Bob Linden

People say God is love. They may have it backwards, or they may be dyslexic. Dog is love.

As I see it, there is more love in one dog than all of humanity. There is more unconditional loyalty, devotion, and affection in one dog than all of humanity. The same three letters are used to spell who are the two "suprene beings" - one whose existence is based on belief, and one whose real presence fills our lives with unimaginable joy.

Some people say that the proof that there is a God is that there are dogs in the world. Other people say that because dogs suffer illness and die proves that there is no God. I think that dogs should be treated as if they are God, because I have met no one more godly.

I cannot believe that a year has passed already, that today is the anniversary of the passing of Daisy, the love of my life. Well, actually, I should say that she is tied for the #1 love of my life - with a few other dogs along the way. Runtie (named for Todd Rundgren's old band), was my beloved companion since college in 1971, through my early radio career, when he would come to work with me at the station after we went running every morning. He was by my side through 1985, when I was Program Director at Star 106 in San Antonio. A friend, who was an advertiser, opened his bar just for me, but there wasn't enough alcohol in Texas to drown my sorrow when Runtie died. I swore I could never "have" another dog, I could never bear such pain and grief again. I did manage to be with dogs over the years - dog-sitting, dog-walking, even living at a dog sanctuary - 99% happy times, nothing like the devastating loss of my beloved best friend - until last June 10.

About 10 years ago, my friend Virginia Handley, from the Animal Switchboard in San Francisco, told me she had an elderly friend in the Bay Area who fell and required lengthy hospitalization. She had no one to care for a house full of animals. I moved up from LA, and wound up taking care of the animals - mainly elderly (and formerly feral) cats - as well as taking care of Mary, the elderly human, through her final, painful, disabled, deteriorating years of life. I shed a river of tears at the end of Mary's life. I shed an ocean of tears for Daisy, and it's high tide today.

A few days after moving to Northern Cali, Virginia mentioned that she was watching a dog whom Mary adopted shortly before going into the hospital, and that she had her hands full with two other dogs, and could I possibly watch this one. "You'll love her", she said.

Daisy was a bit standoff-ish at first meeting. By that night, she was sleeping next to me, snuggling. The next day, when I was leaving the house thinking Daisy would stay with the cats, she ran to the door with me and made it clear that we were to be inseparable - pretty much every minute - for the next eight wonderful years. At 7 pounds, Daisy was the right size to go anywhere and everywhere, and smart enough to know the right behavior for any occasion. She flew to New York with me for the Climate March. (We didn't march. Our activism was directed at the marchers, to educate them that their eating meat, dairy, fish, and eggs was the most environmentally-destructive of all human behavior - and that Daisy was doing more than they were by being Vegan herself (ultimately living to be 16 or 17, and while never long enough - still maybe up to 119 in dog years).

While this is such a sad anniversary for me, I am still so grateful for the joy that Daisy brought to the world. She loved children, and lit up their faces just to see her. The camera loved her. Everybody wanted a picture with Daisy - like everyone from a Japanese miso company at the Natural Products Expo who just had to get in the picture - not realizing that nobody notices there's anyone else in a photo with Daisy in it. No one knows that better than I. Most people knew me as - "the guy with Daisy". She was the star of the show at all the events Go Vegan Radio produced - the World Vegan Summit & Expo, Reggae Vegan Fest, or when "the guy with Daisy" emceed events like the SF Veg Fest in Golden Gate Park. "Bob, could you step back a bit. We're trying to get a picture of Daisy."

Daisy was actually the boss of Go Vegan Radio, and you can hear her express that in "freedom of bark" on many past episodes at www.GoVeganRadio.com. She actually was a bit bossy - as she was with big dogs - determining my schedule, when I could conduct interviews, when I could be on the phone, on the computer - of course, a small price to pay to be enveloped in love every minute of every day for eight years.

I miss her so! She brought so much love and happiness to me - and the world - one little life adopted from a local "animal shelter". People look for love in all the wrong places. It's right there waiting at the "animal shelter". To support your local "animal shelter", you must donate to it directly, NEVER to the Humane Society of the United States (a scam operation whose existence is one of the worst things to ever happen to animals). You can also support Daisy's favorite charity GoVeganRadio.

I truly cannot believe that Daisy is gone a whole year - have I been in a dysfunctional funk that long? Holy Cow! And really, where would I be without Tootsie and Susie? While no one can replace Daisy, they sure are trying. Mary adopted them shortly before she died, and now they have become my girls, and I am so grateful for the love they are bringing to my world - only as dogs can do. Nothing makes me happier than making them happy.

Life really is so temporary and fragile - for all of us. Every minute is so precious. What better way is there to use precious moments than to make dogs happy? (I know - except possibly of equal importance - but which can often be done at the same time - helping people GO VEGAN, which is the key to happiness for billions of other beings, human and not)...

May all dogs be happy... I pray to Dog... 


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