W
hen we asked Inlander staff to help us with some photos of their furry companions for our feature on pet health (page 8) the response was rapid and filled with pride: We love our pets.Boomer and Coco
Shih Tzu/Schnauzer mix, 7 years oldOwners: Anne and Ted McGregor
Claims to Fame:
Boomer: Sworn enemy of backyard squirrels
Coco: Descended from a long line of spoiled princesses
When we arrived to pick up Coco back in 2013, there was no way I could leave behind her fluffy little brother, Boomer — inexplicably the last choice of the litter! (Don't tell him.) So we went home with two dogs. They peed everywhere, chewed inappropriately and generally turned the house upside down. But they were universally adored. Neighbor kids knocked on the door to hold them, and our own three kids fought over them. Two dogs started to seem like a pretty good idea after all.
And so it's continued. They make us smile, guilt us into a walk nearly every day, and they're pretty good at warming up your lap on a cold evening. It's just a bonus that research is showing pets help lower stress hormones and blood pressure and enhance our immune systems.
So here's to our four-legged companions, who have stayed by our sides all through this pandemic, making our lives so much richer, in so many ways.
Cheers!
Anne
