Stewardship. It’s a word I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. The dictionary defines stewardship as “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care". I like this concept. Stewardship means taking responsibility for something that has been given to you by someone else. It means caring for something that you have inherited, or been given, or even adopted, with a level of care and responsibility equal to the original owner or creator.
Here’s an example we can all understand. None of us created the world we live in. However, we live in it! We have been entrusted with care for the world around us, and though we didn’t make the water, air, land, trees, and animals, we have a unique level of responsibility, care, and love for the world we live in. It has been entrusted to us. We feel our responsibility to it.
What does this have to do with animals? I consider myself a steward of animals, and in my current life circumstances, I’ve been entrusted with a responsibility over animals, especially dogs and cats. As a veterinarian, I’ve been entrusted with specific training. I worked for that training, but it was knowledge that was passed down to me from the instructors at the University of Illinois. As a part of Highland Pet Hospital, I’ve been entrusted with experience passed down to me by my mentors, which they received from their mentors. As my mother’s daughter, I’ve been entrusted with a love for and an interest in animals which my mom allowed me to explore and encouraged me to pursue. These things are all things I have been entrusted with and I am blessed and grateful to be able to take responsibility for. Stewardship goes beyond “this is what I do, and this is how I do it". It is “WHY, I do this".
So, what does it mean to steward animals? We didn’t create them! We’ve been entrusted with them. Animals are a gift, with a purpose in our lives. We have responsibility for them. That responsibility is ours to own. This responsibility looks different in different roles we play. My responsibility as a dog owner is different from my responsibility as a veterinarian. Shelter workers, shelter veterinarians, pet owners, police officer canine handlers all have different roles to play in stewarding the lives of the dogs and cats in their care well. As a veterinarian, my primary role is to recognize, prevent, and provide options to alleviate suffering.
How do pet owners provide gracious stewardship for the animals in their care?
Provide all resources in appropriate quantities
The basic resources of our dogs and cats are water, food in appropriate quantities (this means not over feeding), a place to rest, appropriate shelter. The responsibility to provide the things that are required to meet their physical and psycological needs.
Prevent harm
This does mean not abusing them. It also means doing what we can to protect them. Leashes around cars and in unknown environments, cat carriers for transporting cats. Taking steps to prevent accidents when we can. Acknowledging that we cannot prevent all accidents, but we can be wise.
Provide mental and environmental enrichment
Dogs are bred to have a job. We owe it to them to give them a job. Now that job might not look the same for all dogs! A Chihuahua and a Border Collie do not need the same level of mental stimulation! However, they need to be provided with opportunities to use their minds. Dog training classes, socialization, and breed appropriate expenditure of energy is very very important. Dogs that don’t get enough physical exercise and mental exercise experience a higher incidence of anxiety related behaviors.
Routine veterinary care and preventative medicine
There is a reason rabies cases are infrequent in the United States! Vaccination is effective in preventing disease. Vaccination against rabies is legally required. In our area we have frequent outbreaks of Parvo Virus. Parvo is deadly in unvaccinated animals, but very unlikely in vaccinated adult animals. Prevention is protection. Heartworm disease is another case of a disease that is easily prevented, and not as easily treated. Routine veterinary care serves to prevent suffering. We also have a role in spaying and neutering our pets. Spay and neuter has health benefits, and also serves in population control! Population control is part of stewardship! Routine veterinary care is part of responsible pet ownership.
Companionship, love, and joy
The human/animal bond isn’t all weight of responsibility! We also have a responsibility to enjoy them! To be entertained by their antics, glad to see them in the morning, to enjoy buying them new collars, taking walks, finding new toys. Stewardship is also ENJOYING the gifts that have been entrusted to us. Being thankful for the gift both in the good times and in the bad times.
At the end of the day, stewardship implies a willingness to take on the responsibility. A joy in the responsibility, and a desire to do your best for the sake of the gratitude of being entrusted with the thing.