Woof! Hang on furiends, this month’s blog will not be pawed up by me.  Oh no, Mom is insisting that she takes over my iPaw and does my blog. Who in the kibble does she think she is? She said that this month’s blog should be about Mother’s Day and pet Mom’s, that she would be able to write about this better than I.  Pawonder that may be correct; after all, she is our Mom to us pets, making her a pet Mom.  (Mr MaGoo? Are you ready for me take the iPaw?) Furiends, I am going to go and take a nap, while Mom writes about how pet Moms are special and should be honored this Mother’s Day. #MothersDay #PetMoms #RememberingMom

Mr MaGoo’s Mom here, not often does Mr MaGoo give up the iPaw to allow for me to blog.  However, with Mother’s Day right around the corner, I thought it was only befitting that this blog came from me, the pet Mom that I am to five lovely special need dogs.  With Mother’s Day and all the advertisements, I had to stop and think, what does a Mom look like? What is the image of a Mom? Is it the woman wearing an apron baking cookies? Or, perhaps it is the woman driving the SUV (Mini Van) dropping off and picking up children from activities? Or, what if it is the Mom staying up all hours into the night with a sick child?  And, what about the woman juggling a successful career and children? Yep, sure does sound like a Mom; portrays an image of what we all have come to be known as Mom.

Now, let’s make this scenario pet related; for instance, is the woman cooking special diet for her pets, a Mom? What about the woman driving her pets to either groomer’s, vet office, dog park or camp? And, not let’s forget the image of a woman nursing a sick pet through the night. I don’t know about you, sounds like the same portrait of a Mom. Of course it is! A pet Mom is a Mom, plain and simple.

Now wait! A pet Mom is also a pet that is a Mom. The pet that just gave birth to a beautiful litter in the middle of the night and her newborns are hungry and she is tired, yet, the Mom she is, thinks of her newborns’ needs first. The pet that is anxious because one of her toddlers goes to far from the litter and she needs to go and bring that little explorer back to the safety of the litter.  Yes, this pet is indeed a Mom too.

Just like any parent, pet Moms make sacrifices as any other Mother does.  A Mom will often sacrifice time, money, food, events all for the needs of her children. I am no different and I do this unconditionally. Sure, I would love to go and attend an event with a friend; or, a day at a spa; or, without notice hop in the car and do something. Why don’t I? It takes money all of which I make sure that I have plenty tucked away for their medications, food, vet appointments, doggie daycare (this is helping with Twinkle Star’s rehab), grooming and emergency vet visits. The next reason, with Mr MaGoo and Carla Mae both 15yrs old, vestibular disease, liver and kidney disease, I just can’t be away long periods of time. Additionally, Twinkle Star’s anxiety is not better, she is now taking medication to help her understand, life doesn’t need to be scary or painful.  This is my life right now, not forever; my life right now if full of unexpected vet emergencies, long hours in the night nursing and helping Carla Mae eat which takes 1hr. This is my life right now, me being a Mom; and, may I say, it is pretty darn awesome and rewarding.

What is my point? Simply this, while taking time to honor your Mom and rightfully should; if there is someone in your life that is a pet Mom, honor her too. Or, if you have a pet that just became a Mom, honor this pet too. Pet Moms are often overlooked and at times, “oh you don’t have any children, how you possibly know?” Trust me when I say this, a pet Mom does know and understand all too well what it is like. Sure, we may not be the traditional image of a Mom; what we are, a person caring for pets that need help eating or drinking; we are a person traveling back and forth between meetings to vet appointments. We are a person holding a pet, rocking back and forth telling them it will be alright. We are a person playing fetch in the park with our pets.  Sure, we get it, tradition has it that our pets, are, well pets. However, I am here to tell you, they are my children and that makes me a Mom. In fact, that makes me a pretty darn proud Mom to five highly special needs pets.

So, this Mother’s Day, take time to honor pet Moms too. What are you thoughts? Does a pet person qualify as a Mom?

Mr MaGoo’s, Carla Mae’s, Mini Me, Driving Miss Fancy’s and Twinkle Star’s Mom,

Kelly