November 1999 Volume 80 Number 11 "serving the protectors"
Pets
By David Marr

aving spent my formative years on the farm and involved in country life, I have a somewhat simplistic view of the role and worth of animals. I have sceptically viewed people who go into detail telling me how their cat, dog, or budgie tries to tell them something, warns them or does anything other than what is normal for a cat, dog or budgie to do. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy taking the dog for a walk or stroking the cat. I certainly don’t approve of cruelty to animals, or human beings either for that matter.

There are people though who are inclined to treat their pets better than they treat their children. Seeing pictures recently of young children as victims of wartime abuse in the Balkans and East Timor does little to help us feel the human animal is anything other than a very strange species.

I was debating something of this with my plumber neighbour from next door recently. Gus was of the view that animals generally treat their own kind better than humans do and declared: “If the world of humans is to survive the next millennium, we need to quickly learn from the animals.”

I saw an opportunity too good to miss, so I said quietly: “Well, St Paul encouraged people to become more Godly. He said, ‘Be kind to one another; be understanding and forgiving’.” I said: “Jesus also encouraged us to act with positive goodness toward people and not return bitterness and hatred.”

I said that it seemed many areas of our world always battled against ingrained bitterness, prejudice and greed, and if people were willing to change and live in a more Godly way, many of the world’s ills and wars would disappear.

Now Gus doesn’t particularly like sermons and there are a lot of people he doesn’t like either. He doesn’t like whingers, bad losers or what he calls “crappers”. Gus is a good mate. He does like Collingwood, a good punch-up; and he likes animals. In fact his pergola is often full of cages and boxes of recuperating young birds and animals. You can often find him late at night either feeding them or settling in a new one. He is infinitely patient and his caring qualities would put most of us to shame.

You can catch him at home almost any night, watching TV and nursing some native creature. The picture of peace you gain on walking through the door actually belies the tough, hard working character Gus is. His dog, Mate, is always at his feet and is a very one-person dog at that. He’ll do almost anything for Gus. Theirs is a rather unique relationship based on reward and respect. I’m sure Gus would rather have Mate by his side than most humans. He’s reliable too. Take on Gus and you take on his dog as well.

The thing with pets is that you can give them love and affection when it suits. You can speak your mind, put them outside and reject them for a while. Then when it’s feed time they will forgive you and give you their attention and affection again. This way they contribute to our wellbeing and happiness, and help us to be balanced and healthy.

Gus’s wife, Floss, appeared at the door, shotgun in hand: “If that wombat digs another hole in the lounge you’ll be stuffing it with his hide,” she said emphatically

I wonder if Jesus had a dog?

SA Police Chaplains

Welfare Section 58	David Marr -- 8364 3567
	Senior Police Chaplain.
Academy 8	Mark Thomas --8296 9616
Adelaide: Angas Street 158	Bruce Grindlay -- 8295 2220
Adelaide: Hindley Street 62	Bruce Grindlay -- 8295 2220
Adelaide Hills Division 54	Adrian Stephens-- 8398 2510
	-----Office: 8398 2517
Berri 212	Vacant
Ceduna 214	Bob Borgas -- 086 253 503
Christies Beach 20	Vacant
Clare 202	Michael Dutschke -- 088 423 681
Communications 172	David Hand -- 8295 6992
Elizabeth 52	Stephen Brooks-- 041 884 0739
Far North 210	Tony Redden -- 08 8672 5011
Focus 21	Richard Lawton -- 08 8362 4936
Gawler 52	Brian Tscharke -- 085 222 288
Glenelg 22	Malcolm Thomas -- 8377 0772
Henley Beach 18	Brenton Daulby -- 8443 8286
Holden Hill 44	Tony Swansson -- 8258 8951
	Rod Dyson -- 8365 1170
Kadina 71	Mark Dickens -- 8823 2513
Kingston 208	Richard Dutton -- 08 8767 2590
Mount Gambier 208	Brian Ashworth --(w) 087 231 353 -- (h) 087 252 537
Murray Bridge 200	Malcolm Bottrill -- 085 325 536
Naracoorte 208	Bruce Cliff -- 8737 2457 -- 0417 811 702
Norwood 60	Vacant
Nuriootpa 204	Andy Kowald -- 085 621 011
Plympton 14	Ian Dempsey -- 8210 8108
Port Adelaide 6	Jeff Oake-- 8341 5930
Port Pirie 206	Vacant
Prosecution Services 176	Vacant
Port Augusta PS 210	Shirley James -- 0886 410 146
Port Lincoln 214	Rob Packer -- 0886 830 302
Salisbury 53	Vacant
South East	Terry Natt -- 8571 1114
Sturt 12	Chris Beal -- 8278 9578
Tea Tree Gully 48	Bob George -- 8395 9363
Thebarton Barracks 32	Joe Grealy -- 8338 3225
Transit Division	Wayne Shepherd -- 8443 4895
Unley 28	Max Bowers -- 8272 8324
Whyalla 218	John Dunkley -- 0886 452 500

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