Is that food in your pocket or are you happy to see me?

I grew up in an environment with countless homeless animals. Every time I went out my front door, there were tens of cats and dogs hoping for attention, warmth, food. As you can imagine, my ultimate wish would have been to find each and every one of them a home. Unfortunately, given the scale of homelessness, such a global solution has never been within my reach. But ever since I was a little, I learned there was always one thing I could do. I could offer a bite of food to temporarily quiet the rumbling of a hungry tummy.

As a kid, my family knew (and encouraged me!) that I would frequently leave the house with food in my pocket or simply in my hand. A piece of hotdog, a little cheese, half a pastry (imagine something like a danish but baked with some feta and eggs), or just a slice of bread dipped into some broth. Anything that would provide some nutrition. I would happily share my little treasure among the expectant souls, careful not to skip the shy ones simply because they are too scared to approach me.

Now that I visit Eastern Europe as an adult, I take a larger-scale approach and carry with me a bag of cat food every time I leave the house. Yes, seriously, a purse or any other personal item, plus a bag of pet food. The little handfuls I can leave in my path warm my heart: I know that for that moment, for that day, the homeless pup or kitty I encountered will not starve. It's not much, but if enough people did the same thing, collectively we could alleviate a lot of suffering.

This habit follows me around the world and I frequently have a baggie of dog treats with me, even in the reality of the US. There are no homeless animals in my community for me to feed, but pups and kitties get lost and food can be a very helpful tool to attract a confused lost soul. So I am ready. I also am a big believer in positive training. Having treats on me allows me to praise my own pups every time they follow a more challenging command or display a behavior I have been encouraging.

So when you happen to meet me walking down the street, I probably do have food in my pocket. And if you are an animal lover, I am happy to see you so we can swap rescue stories and compare treats!