Sixty-Something: Hamptons Pet Dogs And Cats Always Playing A Loving Role

These are tough times for people who live alone. However, luckily many folks alone in quarantine have their pets. In many cases it’s those pet cats and those pet dogs that are keeping them sane.

I know of a few good friends who live in Montauk and East Hampton who have only been going out of the house to go down to “their” beach or dog park to walk their dog. It’s a ritual that preceded the coronavirus quarantine, but now even more important.

When I lived in Montauk, mostly alone, my beagle’s head was on the pillow next to mine every morning when I woke up. Most nights he would fall asleep somewhere else but when I woke there he was right next to me.

Our beach walks together were usually on Ditch Plains beach – located 442 steps from the front door where I lived. Together my beagle (Bo) and I saw perhaps a thousand sunrises and sunsets there. His cycle had me walking him at 6:45ish in the morning, at sunset and one last outing at one in the morning. I loved all those times. Bo, like me, also enjoyed seeing the surfers in the morning and evenings – along with the big blanket of stars over the ocean at night. Everyone who lives on the South Fork knows how special a moon rising over the ocean is. Every time I was amazed how super big the moon was as it slowly rose over the horizon often very orange. I swear Bo watched it next to me equally amazed.

All over the country people are thankful they need to walk their dogs so they can legitimately leave their house or apartment.

Then there are the cats. Growing up we had a dog and two cats. My mom loved cats, I remember the many times being home alone and having one of the cats just come up and park itself in my lap as I watched late night television. The cats too would hear those mysterious sounds houses seem to make when you are home alone. They were always equally concerned. We had a den room with two couches and I swear the dog and cats co-existed on those couches, peacefully moving around like musical chairs for sun angles or to feel the heat or air conditioning.

When I was home alone I appreciated their presence, it was “good company,” a feeling so many pet owners who live alone during this pandemic understand.

Lastly, I have a high school friend who now owns a prominent butcher shop in Southampton near the McDonald’s. He presently is living alone in his new home near North Sea with his two dogs. Before the pandemic I visited him and couldn’t help seeing the affection his dogs had for him and vice versa. Then I understood how lucky these two dogs were. Dogs whose owner own a butcher shop. I watched him heat up and prepare scraps from that day’s prize meats. No canned dog food for these dogs. They both sat patiently as he prepared the meats like each dog preferred it and then like only hungry dogs can they devoured the meats from in their bowls until the two metal bowls looked brand new!

I have no doubt all pet owners, especially ones who live alone not only in the Hamptons but around the whole country, are truly enjoying their pets even more than usual.