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grigorss - 2007-08-02 03:50:31
I do think the "brothel" analogy is fighteningly accurate as regards FlexPetz -- although at least they don't force them to take pix in a variety of revealing/embarassing outfits -- and I can only assume there are no beatings administered because the mutts are "holdin' out" on their respective doggie pimps.
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Greg - 2007-08-02 05:43:44
Super cool on Mavis. I saw the entire Staples family in Prospect Park my first summer living in Brooklyn. Similar experience I guess. Her dad was still alive and all sisters present. A couple really transcendent moments. Re Flexpets: That is definitely pretty lame. I read all their stuff and just don't really get it... or I don't want to get it or something. I have a hard time seeing it as a service for dog lovers so much as a service for people who love themselves and want to accessorize... but that's a thought path I don't want to go too far down.
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The Jestaplero! - 2007-08-02 09:46:21
There was a whole lotta Mavis in the air last night. "Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story" aired on PBS last night. Great stuff, save of course for the usual heavy-handed PBS emphasis on the civil rights movement. The vintage live footage of The Staples, Sam and Dave, Otis, BT&MGs et al was almost too much.
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Erich K - 2007-08-02 12:28:01
The flexpets thing is disturbing because of the brothel aspect, but it does address a real thing which is people who love dogs but cant realisitcally have one 24/7 -- the animal shelters and their volunteer walk thing could have covered this, the whole "foster care" for dogs thing, but damn -
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Paula - 2007-08-02 13:16:03
I try not to be outraged or offended by things, because I know everything has some kind of benevolent purpose...so I will acknowledge that, of course, FlexPetz may provide a service that helps people in some way. The money from clients benefits the dogs who are presumably boarded at the FP HQ.
But I do question whether spending a few hours with a dog who you may never see again is really all that soothing for the soul, or good for the poor dog, who, above all just wants to bond with one person or family.
It also seems to cater to people's selfish instincts. Renting a dog isn't good for you in and of itself; taking care of a helpless creature who needs you--shelter dogs, as in Erich's example--is good for you precisely because it's not about you, it's about the dog, and taking a load off the shelter workers, too.
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Paula - 2007-08-02 13:19:20
Oh, wait, and one more thing: I dunno where these dogs come from (the site might say so, but I couldn't get into reading it) but with 1000s of adoptable dogs being put to death or forced to hang out in little cages in shelters, I would hate to think that a service like FP would siphon off some of the people who would help those critters out.
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Greg - 2007-08-02 14:33:45
What's good and bad for dogs is a tricky topic. I grew up with dogs and love them--one of the reasons I don't have one now is that I believe my living circumstances are plain bad for large pets--or large brained (and hearted) pets). My home is too small. I don't have the time to devote... and I don't believe many of the people I see with dogs are giving them very good lives either. I know there are far too many dogs in the area of Brooklyn I live in. Huge dogs cramped most of the day in small flats... I see dogs daily that are damn near crippled from their owners' lifestyles.. just not fair.
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Paula - 2007-08-02 15:48:59
What's good and bad for dogs is a tricky topic
How is it tricky?
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Greg - 2007-08-02 16:07:08
It's not tricky for me. I've got my own ideas of what's good and bad for them. It's just that I think a lot of dog owners, at least around where I live, care more of having a dog than they care for the dogs... so I don't often discuss it because it's a tricky topic. And not that they're at all related because the love of a pet and the love of a child are different, child raising is a tricky topic too.
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amatt - 2007-08-02 17:11:34
I saw Mavis Staples, by chance, in Philly a few years ago. I went to a festival to see that guy I always see, and she was on the bill. It was way cool!
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Paula - 2007-08-02 17:24:15
so I don't often discuss it because it's a tricky topic
Oh, I getcha now.
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Paula - 2007-08-02 17:25:40
I went to a festival to see that guy I always see
Boxcar Willie?
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Baby Party - 2007-08-02 23:20:09
I did read a little further into the FlexPetz site, and most of their dogs are in fact rescue dogs.
I do question whether spending a few hours with a dog who you may never see again is really all that soothing for the soul
Don't they take dogs to nursing homes to visit old folks? And to hospitals to visit child cancer patients? Anyway, I didn't think this idea was so terrible. I think pet stores are worse. But neither remotely resemble a brothel. I think the target audience here is people who, for example, travel frequently for work - not folks who want a dog for the family Christmas photo. The people who will use Flex Petz, I think, are, like Paula and Greg both, not able to commit to taking care of a dog full-time, for very good reasons, so it won't be siphoning off any potential adopters.
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Greg - 2007-08-03 10:23:55
Baby Party--In that light, it doesn't seem so bad. If they (and any other similar service) committed to the idea of using ONLY rescue dogs, it's probably not so bad at all. My fear would be that extra dogs would be bred expressly for this kind of thing. There are already too many irresponsible breeders/puppy mills in operation.
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Paula - 2007-08-03 10:57:47
Yeah, I'm just working out my feelings here. As I mention above, I can see the benefits, I'm just not sold on the idea altogether. My concern is for the dogs, mostly, because dogs are pack animals-- they need a leader, and get confused and anxious when they are constantly being shuttled back and forth between new people.
And, yeah, the fact that they are rescue dogs is nice.
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amatt - 2007-08-03 13:09:39
Not Boxcar Willie, but you got the initials correct!
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Greg - 2007-08-03 14:02:17
B.W. The suspense is killing me!!! Bill Withers? Bob Welch? Bob Weir? Blair Witch?
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amatt - 2007-08-03 15:08:15
The Ace, Bobby Weir
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Paula - 2007-08-03 15:27:40
Bobby and the Midnites?
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amatt - 2007-08-03 16:15:26
Seen Bobby and the Midnites about 12 times. I don't think you really want to know how many times I've seen that guy.
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