Look after the people who look after our pets

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The feeling of emptiness is sudden. The day, bright and sunny, now feels a little desolate. His constant presence now an empty space beside me.

He can't wait to get in. No backward glance. No pause for a goodbye hug.

As I drive away, there's acute separation anxiety but it's all mine. I miss him deeply. There's a weak smile as I recall his antics this morning. The grumble as I wake him. The pestering for breakfast - somehow mine is more enticing than his. The defiant look as he's told to put down his toy and get ready to leave.

A couple of hours later and the house seems eerily quiet. No shouting from the living room to come and check out what the neighbours are doing or announce the postman's arrival. No pleading for me to turn away from the desk and pay him attention, to follow him into the garden to play. No intrusion on Zoom meetings with the boss.

This is not a child's first day at school. It's the dog's return to the pet resort ahead of a trip. And for him, it's as much of a holiday as my few days overseas will be.

"They all love it," says the manager, who knows Billy well. In her 25 years running the place, and the hundreds of dogs who have stayed, there's only been a few who didn't enjoy the experience. One school refuser, a Dalmatian, had to be carried in. And, yes, she agrees, it's the owners who feel the separation anxiety.

"What were we thinking?" we often ask when Billy is tearing up the house during his twilight zoomies or refuses to move when sprawled out on his back on the bed. For three years now, we've said we're waiting for him to grow up. But deep down we don't want that day to come. This four-legged perpetual adolescent bathes our lives in joy. Keeping up with him keeps us fit.

He also keeps us knitted to the community around us. We know the fellow dog owners in the neighbourhood not by their names but the names of their dogs. Honey's mum, Justin's dad. Bonnie's nan. Billy has learned his best friends' names too. Mention Mack, Bindi or Charlie and he'll stop what he's doing and cock his head, certain there's a walk in the offing.

There's plenty of evidence dog ownership is good for human health. Dogs are used in schools to help kids learn to read. They're taken into nursing homes to uplift the spirits of the residents. They're vital companions for people with post traumatic stress disorder. They help the blind navigate the world.

But they're also expensive to keep. And that's put our dwindling number of vets in a terrible position. A NSW parliamentary inquiry recently found vets were suffering compassion fatigue as they dealt with heavy workloads and the haunting reality of pet owners unable to pay for their animals' medical care. Many vets were paying for the care of pets when their owners couldn't afford to. Too many were leaving the profession within five years of graduating. Too many were taking their own lives.

The inquiry recommended the NSW government subsidise veterinary care to low-income earners, pensioners and animal rescue groups. It also suggested the federal government consider waiving the HECS debts of veterinary graduates. Vet students are not eligible for the prac placement payment being rolled out for nursing, teaching and social work students.

We know our pets look after us. We know our vets look after our pets. It seems only reasonable we somehow look after our vets.

PS. As you've gathered by now, I'll be out of the burrow for a few days. Jenna, Steve and Garry will arrive in your inbox instead. See you when I get back.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you have a pet in your life? How important are they? Are you struggling with vet bills? Is a pet Medicare system for low-income earners and pensioners a possible answer to the vet shortage? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

- Aussie online book retailer Booktopia has announced it has entered voluntary administration. The company posted a statement on the ASX saying it had appointed Keith Crawford, Matthew Caddy and Damien Pasfield from McGrathNicol to oversee a potential restructure or sale of the business.

- ABC News Breakfast host Lisa Millar has announced her departure from the show to focus full time on other television projects. The host, who joined the ABC in 1993, told viewers on the morning of July 3 that her last day on the News Breakfast couch would be August 23.

- Harsher penalties will soon apply for people who share sexually explicit images or videos online without consent. Laws that passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday will see people who share the images without consent face up to seven years in prison.

THEY SAID IT: "Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honour as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born." - Mary Oliver

YOU SAID IT: The ongoing fuss about Senator Fatima Payman crossing the floor is distracting from a host of other important issues.

"I admire Senator Payman for her convictions and being true to them," writes Lee, "but it has no impact on my family or the area we live in. Our concerns are cost of living, housing and domestic violence. These are the things that should be focused on, not the inner workings of political parties."

Susan writes: "My concern is the possible development of a political movement by Muslims which could fracture our democracy."

"The Senator Payman fiasco is of little direct concern to me and will not affect my vote at the next election," writes Geoff. "However, it has highlighted that Prime Minister Albanese has once again been found wanting. Instead of quickly and forcefully applying Labor Party policy and removing the senator from the party he has prevaricated to the extent that once again his authority as leader is drawn into question. It confirms in my mind once again that he is a dismally weak leader and should never have been prime minister."

John writes: "The treatment of Senator Payman by Albanese and the ALP heavies show Labor in a shameful light. Payman, as an Afghan refugee and a Muslim, of course would support a vote for the recognition of Palestine. Indeed, the ALP claim to support a "two state solution" in the Middle East but don't allow one of their members to support the recognition of one of the two states involved! The ALP sees a 100-year-old rule as more important than principled action by one of their members."

"Senator Payman was voted in under certain assumptions," writes Old Donald. "She has chosen to become someone other than the person who was voted into federal parliament. To my mind she only has two choices: stay with her elected commitments or resign from the Senate. Frankly the Greens, for whom I held such hopes years ago, have been on their Clark Gable program for eons (not really giving a damn about what can actually be done) and of course the main opposition will use anything they believe can upset the successful running of the country."

Allan writes: "The biggest story about Senator Payman's suspension is the very real prospect that she will quit the Labor party to move to the crossbench, where she'll be able to see out her full six-year term. As party elders have pointed out, she wouldn't be there if not for Labor. A similar thing happened with former Greens senator Lidia Thorpe in Victoria. Our constitution would make it difficult to implement but there needs to be some rules on parliamentarians quitting a party in mid term. The party system is far from perfect but the time for declaring yourself as an independent is at an election."

"I agree that Fatima's stand on Palestine is not of interest to many, but I see it as the start of getting Labor to change its rules and allow conscience voting on all issues," writes Caroline. "Liberals allow the Tassie pollie to cross the floor. I think Labor is afraid if they change their rules there will be lots crossing the floor on AUKUS. Although it seems a small issue I see it as a start in changing the two-party system and having a more representative government."