Giving Thanks With Our Furry Friends
2009-12-24

Although, many countries world wide celebrate after a fruitful harvest season, in America, Thanksgiving is more than a feast. It is being in the company of loved ones (friends, family, and our pets!) and continuing traditions that were passed on before our country even had a name. It is the oldest American holiday, dating back to 1621, when the pilgrims feasted with native tribe, the Wampanoags, at Plymouth Colony in present day Massachusetts.

A little over 200 years later, President Lincoln (who had a dog named Fido) declared it a national day of thanksgiving in his "Proclamation of Thanksgiving" after being urged by Sarah Josepha Hale (who wrote "Mary Had A Little Lamb") to have a set day each year for all of the states to give thanks. And since then, it has become a holiday full of cherished tradition.

Americans, young and old, spend the weeks before the holiday in preparation. School teachers teach their students to trace their hands on colored paper to make turkey decorations (many Americans can trace back grades K-5 by the size of their turkey hands!), families bake assortments of pies, and kids plan out ways to sneak their vegetables to the dog under the table.

But when it comes down to it, the size of the feast or the commonality of the tradition is not what is most important... It's taking the time to reflect on the year in passing and giving thanks for what we have (whether it be tangible or intangible).

K9 in the City asks California and their precious pups what they are thankful for in this video. Check it out and enjoy the holiday! (And remember, if you are going to sneak food to your pet who is anxiously waiting under your Thanksgiving table, be sure to check for bones and not to give them too much!)