Pet Preference

   Last Autumn, when the weather was cold and wet, I happened upon a dog. It was standing in the back of a pickup truck. The dog was sad faced. It had been lost in the woods. The driver of the truck had noticed the dog and pulled over.
    I felt bad for the animal. But my concern was tempered by optimism. A tag was attached to the dog’s collar. The driver would soon contact the owner.  
    People care deeply about dogs and cats, and not just the ones they own.
    I learned that truism years ago. A dog had been struck by a car. People were trying to save the animal. Elsewhere in that community, on the same day, a woman was injured in a car accident. Ambulance personnel hovered over her. Her condition was sketchy.
    On the following afternoon, photos from both scenes were published in a newspaper.
    I was employed at that publication. We received several phone calls. Readers wanted to know how the dog made out. Nobody asked about the woman.
    I’ll bet that reaction would be the same anywhere in the world.