Friends for Life and Ever After.

Freud maintained in his book "Jokes And The Unconscious" that essentially there is no such thing as jokes and that they all conveyed truths wrapped in a safer form of communication, or,  in most cases, revealed a persons' real opinion - even if news to that person. Someone sent me the following joke: 
A  dead traveler and his dog were walking along a road. They came to a high, white stone wall  along one side of the road that looked like fine  marble with a mother of pearl gate, which led into a place with golden streets and remarkable beauty.  He and the dog  walked toward the gate, and saw a man at a desk.  The traveler called out, "Excuse me, where are  we?" "This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.  "Would you happen to have  some water?" the traveler asked.  "I'll have some ice water  brought right up."The man gestured, and the gate  began to open.  "Can  my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in,  too?" the traveler  asked.  "I'm sorry,  sir, but we don't accept  pets."
The traveler  thought a moment and then turned back toward the  road and continued on. They came to a dirt road with an open gate and saw a man leaning against a tree.  "Excuse  me!" he called to the man. "Do you have any  water?" The man pointed to a pump with a dog bowl beside it.  The traveler and the dog drank."What  do you call this place?" the traveler  asked. "This is  Heaven" the man answered.  "The man down the  road said that was Heaven  too" said the traveler."You mean  the place with the gold street and pearly gates?  Nope. That's hell" said the man.  "Doesn't  it make you mad for them to use your name like that?" said the traveler.
   "No," said the man.  "We're just happy that they screen out the folks  who would leave their best friends  behind."   
This joke reminded me of the incredible human animal bond shared by people and their pets. A bond so strong that some would choose death rather than leave their pet behind during a disaster evacuation, risk bodily harm to save a pet in danger and would grieve for a lifetime after the loss of this cherished family member. Our work is to obtain such a relationship for all homeless pets, support humans in their effort to provide such and to allow this bond to flourish free from acts of cruelty and derision. It is not a junk bond and certainly no joking matter.