Every day all over the world families leave their homes to go to their jobs, school or other activities that require them to leave their pets at home alone. And although we don't like having to do that it is something over which we have little if any control. Pets stay home alone for extended periods of time and without supervision. That can be the beginning of a disaster and one that unfortunately happens all to often. The family returns home and finds that something has been broken, chewed on, eaten or destroyed. Nobody is happy about the situation but in truth the pet doesn't have a clue...

Today I began re-reading John Steinbeck's classic book "Traveling With Charlie, In Search Of America." As always happens when I read this book I am reminded of how there is an inner desire among most people to travel. It isn't to travel to arrive at a particular destination as much as it is to, as Steinbeck says, "just get away." Whether we care to admit it or not we all have that little voice inside of us that keeps saying "just go. Do it. Leave and see where you end up." Most people are able to ignore that little voice and continue living their humdrum lives with the end result being...