Every morning and afternoon, Maisey and I take a walk. We go around the complex, and down the neighborhood streets. Sometimes we go to the park, and sometimes to the dog park.

Just about everytime I pass by the lower level balcony of another unit in the complex, I see the puppy. The puppy is pug, and is absolutely adorable. The problem is, the dog is out there every single day, even when it’s cold. It doesn’t have a water bowl, and it doesn’t have a bed. I’ve seen the owner simply open the balcony door, hold the leash while still sitting on the couch to allow the puppy to go outside to go to the bathroom. I’ve never seen them walking the dog, either. 

I don’t get it. Why do people like this even bother having a dog? They clearly don’t enjoy the company of the dog, or it wouldn’t be outside all day. Dogs (and animals in general) enrich our lives so much, and any good pet owner will tell you that their dog is like a member of the family. If a dog isn’t anything to you but something you have to feed and pick up after, why bother? The puppy pug isn’t a guard dog, it isn’t a working dog, so what gives?

Someone tell me, why do people like this get dogs? I feel terrible for this little puppy, every dog deserves love, kisses and an enjoyable life. So, what do I do? Is this cause to report the owners to the humane society? Wouldn’t we call CPS if we saw a child being equally ignored?

I love independent films. It drives my boyfriend crazy that all that comes in from Netflix are movies he’s never heard of.

I don’t watch independent movies exclusively, maybe I just watch more than most, but I watch independent movies because I enjoy watching reflections of real life. Some people watch movies to escape real life drama. I watch movies to reflect on real life drama, and life doesn’t always have an identifiable antagonist, a hero, or a wrapped up resolution after 180 minutes. I enjoy tragedy, internal stuggling and authenticity. To me, a good film is rich with character development and emotion. Please don’t assume I’m a film elitist that associates intellectualism with movie genres. That’s not the case at all. It’s simply a personal preference.

I loved Marley and Me, and now there is another movie coming out portraying the incredible human-animal bond. It’s an independent film called WENDY and LUCY. The movie starts Michelle Williams who plays a lost young woman on a journey across the country with her dog Lucky as her only companion. Based on the trailer, it appears to fit all my criteria for good movie – real life struggle, pain and self discovery. All while illustrating the alliance and emotional connection between a girl and her dog.

Stay tuned for a review on WENDY and LUCY, as soon as it hits a theater near me.