Just a few short years ago, harboring a dog or cat in your home was a crime in China. Forget about finding a reliable pet sitter if you had to travel or a compassionate, skilled vet for a medical emergency; with just one report from a disgruntled neighbor, you could find yourself watching helplessly as government officials clubbed your beloved companion to death.
But harsh penalties didn't stop thousands of otherwise law-abiding citizens from keeping illicit pets in their small apartments, gladly sharing already sparse food rations. Once the laws were liberalized, in 1995, officials were flooded with applications from dog-loving citizens willing to pay the $600 license fee - more than a year's income for many - and conform to rigid restrictions regulating when and where dogs could be seen in public, for the privilege of enjoying their company.
The bond between dog and man runs very deep, but many people believe the concrete jungle and high rise canyons of a big city are no place for a dog regardless of legal regulations. Dogs need wide open spaces, freedom, and fields to run in. Even so, the well-trained, streetwise, apartment-dwelling dog not only survives, he thrives. It takes a lot of patience, work and adaptability on the part of both dog and human, but in the end the cultivated cosmopolitan canine often gets along better with his fellow urbanites than many humans.
By far the biggest problem facing the city dog, according to New York City trainer and professional dog walker Jason Neimark, is lack of exercise. Exercise is 50% of training, because "dogs have an innate need to be outside, smell things and hunt" that's suppressed in apartment living. Natural instincts need an outlet, with two or three walks a day, or they will come out in destructive behavior like aggression, compulsive chewing, housebreaking problems, and "overbarking."
In the country or suburbs, a dog can run in the yard, and taking a walk is a simple affair. In a city high-rise, just getting down the hall and elevator, through the lobby and out to the street can take 10 minutes, and many people don't live near a park or own a car.
That's one reason why dog walking services have become increasingly popular in cities. Most of Neimark's dog walking clients are working people who feel guilty about leaving their dog alone all day or understand they need to get out during the day when their owners are gone. Puppies especially need to be walked frequently while they're being housebroken.
But not everything about city life is bad. With all the city traffic, noises and other distractions, city dogs can handle just about anything. And cities bring together plenty of people and other dogs for socialization. That benefits the owner as well, as Neimark points out. Two strangers will never stop and talk to each other on the street, but if their dogs stop to check each other out, it's an "instant social gathering." In a way, dogs help civilize the city.
A successful city dog needs to be adaptable, sociable, and able to deal with isolation in an apartment. Big dogs who sleep a lot, for example, may adapt well to city life. They won't suffer from anxiety, as many smaller, high-strung breeds do, when their owners are away at work. Neimark also recommends having more than one dog. A companion reduces the loneliness and boredom and satisfies the important "play drive and prey drive."
Neimark believes, as many urban trainers do, that a dog's life can be just as good in the city as in the country or suburbs. But successful urban living requires an adaptable dog, awareness of the pitfalls, and a little more effort, patience, and dedication from the owner.
Cats are often perceived as being better suited for city life, though many cat advocates believe the freedom-loving feline must be allowed to roam. For foot-loose city kitties, urban streets can be treacherous, and high-rise dwellers have the added hazard of enticing open windows. Curiosity, combined with an unscreened window or open balcony, has killed more than one cat. In fact, the phenomenon of cats flying out of tall buildings is so common it has a clinical name: high-rise syndrome.
Amazingly, many falling felines survive with hardly a scratch. In fact, the greater the height, the better the chances of survival. In addition to their nine lives, cats seem to have an extraordinary presence of mind that allows them to use the extra time of a multi-story fall to relax their bodies, right themselves, and prepare to minimize the impact on landing.
Despite the difficulties of city living, many cats have a happy, full life indoors. One of New York's best-known cat doctors, Louis Camuti, commented on the great lengths to which some apartment livers have gone to provide an interesting habitat for their cats. One couple filled their tiny living space with an elaborate Rube Goldberg-type multi-level contraption that so pleased their cats they eventually moved to a house so they could expand it.
Anastasia was, in many ways, an ideal city pet. He fit right into the environment. In fact, he was part of the city environment - an orphaned pigeon who had the good fortune to hatch on the windowsill of a couple who considered this rather drab urban bird an extraordinary addition to their family. The sociable bird loved to sit on his dad's shoulder and considered it his duty to greet every guest.
Birds are one of the most popular pets - just behind fish, cats, and dogs - and they come in a great variety of sizes, colors, and personalities. Some talk, some sing, some are serious and dignified, some are natural clowns. They may not be cuddly, but birds can form deep bonds with their human friends. Just ask Anastasia's proud parents.
A major barrier all city critters face is tenant restrictions on pets. In some cases, even condos can ban pets, and many cities restrict the number of pets or specific species or breeds such as ferrets and pit bulls. But on the positive side, cities offer pets many benefits: a rich social life, access to a variety of pet services, and human companions who find any inconvenience a small price to pay for the rich rewards of their pets' companionship.
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