It's dark, cold and rainy. What possible harm could come from letting your dog out in your unfenced yard for just a few minutes while he relieves himself? Just this once what harm could there be? He's never run off before. He usually comes when he's called. You'll watch him carefully from the door. You really, really don't want to go out with him ... just this once.

So you open the door and out he goes, and as luck would have it "just this once" there's a stray cat in your garden and your dog is off after it like a shot. You call frantically, but he continues on his merry chase. This is, after all, a cat. It's far more fun to chase the kitty than to come in. In a matter of moments, your dog is out of sight.

And what about the cat? Many people feel it's unnatural to keep a cat indoors, that for some reason, they need to roam and will be unhappy if kept inside. In fact, a cat kept in from kittenhood is perfectly content, as I know from my own felines, and usually an indoor/outdoor cat adapts to staying indoors, although perhaps not without some complaining.

Pets that are permitted to roam are a nuisance to the neighborhood, at a minimum. Cats find gardens to be very nice toilet areas. Dogs don't care whose lawn they defecate on, although the neighbors do. A dog running loose is probably harmless, but the local toddler and her mother don't know that. Your pet could be hurt by another animal or a person intent on mischief. And at the worst, a roaming pet may easily become the victim of a traffic accident.

Even if your yard is fenced, please let your dog live in the house with you! Dogs are pack animals; they are happiest when in the company of their family, and a dog confined to the back yard is going to be bored and inclined to get into trouble. He may bark, disturbing the neighbors, or dig (and dogs always seem to dig where you don't want them to) or find some other ways to try to amuse himself. And another problem with keeping a dog outside without supervision is that it may become a target for abuse from strangers. Train your dog in basic good manners so he doesn't have to be relegated to the back yard.

If you care about your dog or cat, please keep it home and safe! Keep your dog and cat inside, and fence your yard so you can let your dog out without fear that it will run away. Your pet's life and happiness depend on you.

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