The paws that bind us

Trish Lynn and Thom Donitz with friends.

The JOLT News Staff

As we get older, not Trish and Thom of course, some of us start to reflect on the people and pets in our lives and what binds us to them after all these years.  

On the human side, maybe it’s family, may be a longtime co-worker, friend or partner that we met through shared activities, while sometimes it’s just a random, chance meeting with someone that makes a short-term bond or impression, even for just a passing moment in our lives. While on the pet side, every one of our pets and wildlife that have come into our lives has left their mark in their own unique way. 

The short-term interaction event, while not limited only to pet owners and animal lovers, is one that comes into both of our lives quite often, sometimes for just a passing moment and sometimes leaving an indelible mark. What makes it special is the randomness that determines when it happens. 

Like the time a guy who was sitting outside the store with his dog when Thom was shopping, prompting him to impulse buy an extra bag of dogfood and give it to him. The “Thank you” was nice, but what made the moment was watching him turn to his dog and hug him with a huge smile. 

Back when Thom worked in Seattle at a job which took him into various neighborhoods, there was one neighborhood where 75% of the homes had Jack Russell terriers that were all related. The smile that came across the faces of the owners when he would mention all the other names of the dogs, starting with Pancho, would always make his day and theirs. 

Elderly people we have known ranging from our “Aunt Terry” and her love for cats, especially her “Tiki,” to an elderly man named Joe who would walk his American Eskimo “White Fang” down by the boardwalk, all bring back memories. 

The random meeting at a pet or feed store with complete strangers could turn into a lengthy discussion ranging anywhere from different types of bird feed or suet to dog food, cat food, treats and even to kitty litter (which then somehow led to each other pulling out their phones to show off their cats).  

More recently, when a woman down the aisle overheard how finicky (translation: spoiled) Thom’s cats were about their treats prompted her to grin in acknowledgement. Or buy one bag of peanuts and no one blinks, buy 10 and every checker asks, “Feeding the squirrels?” 

Just a simple “beautiful dog” comment as someone passes by will always evoke a smile from both the owner and usually the dog. Dogs recognize smiles we firmly believe. 

On the pet side, we could go on and on about the animals and wildlife that we have bonded with. 

By now you have all heard about Trish’s beloved “Maggie” along with Thom’s “Toshiro” but all our animals, both past and present, have bonded with us in their own special way. 

From Thom’s cats, “Sanjuro,” who would ride around his shoulders, greeting everyone in the apartment building, to “Pachinko,” his treasured tuxedo girl for whom Thom built the house they lived in, to his rascally tabby “Akira” who would head butt everyone as a greeting, all of his were unique with their own personality. Over the years there have been many more cats, along with several other dogs, all of which were special in their own ways. 

We even have special ties with the wildlife around us. The Douglas squirrels that frequent our backyard have their own separate personalities.  

From the west lives “Douglas,” while “Dennis” lives to the east. The eastern gray squirrels and bunny rabbits all respect each other’s boundaries (however, have to mention that as small as Douglas squirrels are, the gray ones do not mess with them).  Even the Scrub and Steller’s jay all have their hierarchy.  

There was a group of deer that wandered around and we would see the same ones. We started naming them after characters in “Gunsmoke.” We had Matt Dillon, Chester, Kitty, anyway, you get the idea. 

When Thom worked in Seattle, on the days he worked in the Leschi area, he would feed the birds, always wearing the same hat, causing them to all come out to greet him.  

And when Thom goes to Mount Rainier, he will sit motionless on a certain trail for 20 minutes until the Hoary Marmots, sometimes called “Whistlers,” come out. It’s music to hear them call out to each other across the field. 

Paws For Thoughts: “Cats are connoisseurs of comfort” – James Herriot 

Thom Donitz and Trish Lynn are neighbors and close friends who share their love of animals and wildlife. Trish and Thom are residents of Tumwater. Contact them at  pets@theJOLTnews.com.