Dog and child abuse at art fair

The Phactors love art fairs, and so do lots of other people, which explains the usual congestion.  These fairs are always conducted in the summer, in urban settings with asphalt and lots of brick, so generally they are pretty hot.  So why is it that so many people so love their dogs that they drag the poor things through throngs of legs and feet such that even friendly, well-behaved dogs are pretty stressed out, not to mention hot and thirsty?  As far as TPP is concerned this is dog abuse especially since an art fair is in not way a recreation area for dog exercise, and unlike kids, dogs can be left home.  Only a short distance from this are small children and babies.  Of course, parents often cannot attend unless they bring their child(ren), so TPP is willing to cut them some slack.  But you see kids running on empty.  They're hot, thirsty, and low on energy cranky and/or whiny.  The dogs are treated better because here and there sympathetic people put down water bowls for the dogs.  One particular little girl so red with glazed eyes that looked like she would simply drop from heat prostration and her mother dragged her onward.  Many parents chose to put their small children or babies in strollers.  This is practical, but some of today's strollers are the size of small SUVs and maneuvering them around people and into and out of small stalls is like a tractor & trailer trying to get around in a grocery store parking lot.  And the rest of us must simply watch out for them, and wait when they block off the whole aisle.  Nothing against the kids, but use some good judgment about your stroller, people; a great stroller for jogging or walking around the block is just plain inconvenient at a crowded art fair.  But let's start by simply banning dogs because abusive dog owners are just never going to figure it out on their own. 

Market day & dogs

Our fair city has a nice Saturday morning market with purveyors of everything from art to Zea maize. With stands and booths lined up and down both sides of 3 blocks of downtown city streets it's quite crowded and booths with popular items can have considerable lines of people waiting to purchase fresh produce. So why under such circumstances do people feel the need to bring their dogs? Markets are not a dog location, especially really big dogs, really, really little dogs, and any poorly behaved dogs. And then people with dogs seem to have the need to chat with other people who have their dogs, who then circle each other just enough to entangle all as well as unwary passersby. Dog owners also can be quite cheeky like taking a sample of sausage and giving it to their dog. Does the dog have money? Is the dog going to make a shopping selection? These people are giving away samples to sell sausage not to make your dog's tail wag. Children are also problematical in most cases and when turned loose released from their stroller those of us who are not used to looking out for little knee-biters are likely to tread upon your genetic heritage. Unfortunately the solution is almost as bad as the problem. Strollers the size of SUVs also do not belong in crowed places of any sort, and when driven into the back of your heels, sorry just doesn't cut it. And lastly people, you aren't shopping at Krogers; you're dealing with small vendors, so no they don't take your Discover card and it's helpful if you have lots of small denomination bills because paying for a green pepper with a $100 bill is more than a little silly. But other than these inconsiderates markets are one of my favorites places, but in other countries you don't see dogs, except being sold as food, or strollers, although shopping carts are quite common. In the last overseas market the Phactor visited, someone had turned a large mob of school children loose to conduct some type of food survey that caused them to chase around, trip over your feet, and bump into your person while messing with their cell phones. Felt like a large dog was needed.

Cruel & unusual punishment

Went to a July art festival on Saturday. Quite nice, but of course, hot. But that's not what is cruel & unusual punishment, it's those people who think that their dogs, or their little kids, and even babies would benefit by the cultural experience and bring them along to do nothing but suffer. Do they have no sense at all? And let's not forget the crowds, the throngs of big people through which the dogs, little people, tiny people, and the heel-killing strollers must maneuver. It was close to unbearable for those of us who are tough old field biologists, there looking at art of our own free-will and volition. Dogs are just stupid about wanting to go places, and unfortunately people are just as stupid about appropriate and inappropriate places to take their bloody dogs. There's simply no excuse for the mistreatment of really little kids, and their general misery, usually communicated verbally, so adds to the experience for the rest of us. So the Phactor is not impressed at all with your commitment to either parenting or pets. Same people are probably looking for something to match their couch.