A Note from Janice Brown

Although you’d never know it from looking at our house now, a few years ago my husband and I had a professional organizer come in to help us eliminate our clutter. She rearranged furniture, cleared out our overflowing book cases, grouped photos together on the shelves, and helped us purge what we didn’t need. Then she got to our bedroom. “Is there any way to get rid of the cages?” she pleaded. “You could really open up the space if we could just take these giant wire things out of the room.” Barry and I looked at each other. Then we looked at the dogs. We just couldn’t do it.
    I agree that as far as decorating goes, wire crates are not generally featured in many home and decor magazines. But there are some things we have to sacrifice for our pets. They love their “dens” too much. And besides, if we took out the cages, we’d lose all that storage space on top!
      However, after reading many of the features in this issue, I realize it’s time for me to do some updating. I thought our auto feeder and continuous water fountain were extravagant, but in fact, my dogs and cats may actually be deprived. They do not have a closet full of clothes (they don’t even have one outfit!) And although they may get the occasional belly rub to relax, they definitely don’t have their own sauna. The pet industry is definitely changing.
    For the past few weeks, we have had numerous canine and feline fashion models traipsing in and out of the office, including my own two “plus-size” models, Luna and Maple. I tried to hide the XL tag in the sweater Maple wore, but she spotted it. She didn’t eat for days before her shoot. It seems that many of the clothes cater to the small dogs and cats, who also fit into those stylish carrying cases. I had to reassure my dogs that they are not fat, just big-boned.
    With so many cool products on the market that are not only functional but look good too, it is easier than ever to integrate pets into our homes. And even though this fun issue may introduce some over-the-top trends in the pet fashion world, all an animal really wants is a safe place to call home, and a loving person’s face to lick.
    The dogs on this page are looking for just that; they are currently residents of the Furry Friends Foundation, which sadly will soon be closing its doors. After a long history of rescuing animals and finding them forever homes, this local shelter is no longer able to continue its mission. FFF has always been a friend to the animals, especially the Pit Bulls, and the animal community will miss the hard work they do. If you have ever thought about adopting a dog or a cat, please consider helping these animals find safe and loving homes, and welcome them into your family. The animals will thank you.
    Enjoy the falling leaves and pick a good pumpkin—

Janice Brown
jb@ChicagolandTails.com