I took this photo at the hardware store a few weeks ago, and I love it. Happy, healthy, much loved dogs waiting for their humans at the animal store. Many people loved it, many people shared it, as I did. It speaks to me of affection and loyalty, two of the things most of us love about dogs. This morning, I got several messages from the animal world that shows how we can take love and twist it into darkness, warning, anger and fear – benchmarks of our phobic and increasingly self-righteous world.

Anita wrote that she wanted to share her concerns over my “dangerous” message in the photo, especially given the nationwide reach of my blog. She offered me a lecture on how leaving dogs and cats in cars can be dangerous on warm days, and lethal to them. The two large dogs were getting air, she observed, but what about the little guy? This photo endorsed a dangerous and even illegal practice, she said. She offered me a link to a website that offers information on the dangers of pets in cars, and she hoped I would link to it to to undo the damage the message in my photo sent. I would be quite surprised if there are people reading my blog who don’t know cars can get hot in the summer, but if there are any of you, I’ve attached the link.

There are many strains and streaks in the animal world I love, some I do not. One I truly do not is the part of the culture that thinks loving animals gives them the right to write messages like that, and in that suffocating tone, and to believe it makes them somehow morally superior. Doesn’t work with me.

I did write back to her, and I said that my photo had no message, other than to evoke the love and loyalty dogs have for people. I see these dogs quite often in the hardware store lot, they are lucky and happy and healthy dogs. Not to mention the fact it was near freezing that day and the dogs were warmer than I was. Red was in the car right next to them, as he often is.

I told Anita I don’t need lectures or websites to tell me when it’s too hot for my dogs to be in cars, although I am sure there are some people who do. I told her I don’t tell other people how to live with their dogs, perhaps one reason the blog does have a nationwide following. I have always had trouble with self-righteousness, the need people have to tell other people how to live, it is as epidemic in the animal world as in the political world (there is only one way to get a dog). It is obnoxious to me, as is the blizzard of warnings, alarms, cautions and doomsday warnings about life, health, politics and surely, animals. I suggested to Anita that if she loves warnings and lectures, this may not be the blog for her. There are so many others that will keep her engaged, alarmed and pleased with herself.

I love the message of the dogs at the hardware store. It speaks only of love, and the sad thing is to pollute that message the faux morality of the times. God, please help me to not tell other people what to do. It is the black plague of the mind. I’m very happy to run this photo again, and perhaps a few more times in the future. You are all, of course, free to take any message you want from this photo. I might put it up on Facebook and ask you to post your own sense of the message. I’m on the way.