Presidential election season is shifting into a higher gear here in the United States, and Mitt Romney is shaping up to be the possible Republican candidate to face Obama in 2012.
Now hold on there, Pets Adviser readers. I know you’re probably starting to nod off right about now. “Politics schmolitics,” you might be saying. But there’s a reason I’m writing this, and it’s not to get involved in political intricacies. No, I just want to remind you of an incident with Mitt Romney that will most certainly make pet owners do a quick double-take. You may have heard this tale once before, and if you have, consider it a reminder of the character of the man.
Way back in 1983, Mitt Romney, then 36, was in the family’s Chevy station wagon with his wife and five young sons, and they were all heading up north for their annual vacation to a lakeside cottage in Canada. Oh, how fun! Even the dog, an Irish setter named Seamus, was with them. It was a long trip to the cottage — 12 hours by car — but surely everyone was having a lovely time, and they were probably even doing a little family singalong.
Well, maybe not. Did I mention that the dog was tied to the roof rack the whole time?
That’s right, Mitt wanted to make really good time on this trip, and told his sons in no uncertain terms that bathroom breaks would be kept to an absolute minimum. That went for the dog too. For good measure, Mitt strapped the kennel to the roof of the station wagon, built a crude “windshield” to protect the dog from the wind, and put the pedal to the metal as they say.
‘Mr. Personality’ Loses Control
Seamus
Poor Seamus, affectionately known as “Mr. Personality” by the family, didn’t take kindly to the 12-hour ordeal on top of the car. In fact, between the high speeds, the bumps in the road, the wind and extreme stress, the dog lost control of his bowels. You would too.
Mitt’s solution to the diarrhea now smearing the back window of the car? At the next gas station stop he used a water hose to blast the family pet, the kennel and the car. That hose-down was apparently Seamus’s only bathroom break for the entire trip. Then the family continued their trip with the dog atop the car and Dad firmly behind the wheel.
‘My Dog Loves Fresh Air’
And what did Mitt Romney have to say in response, when questioned about this cruel treatment? “My dog loves fresh air.” He claimed that Seamus “scrambled up there every time we went on trips, got in all by himself and enjoyed it.”
By the way, Massachusetts, where Mitt lived (and later served as governor), had laws at the time forbidding drivers from strapping an animal “in or upon a vehicle, or otherwise, in an unnecessarily cruel or inhuman manner…which might endanger the animal.” Of course, any passionate human being wouldn’t dream of doing this to his family pet, and wouldn’t need a law to tell him that it’s wrong.
Romney photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr
More Information (I didn’t just make this stuff up…)
- Dog on Roof? What Was It Like for Romney’s Pooch?
- Mitt Romney Admits to 12-Hour Trip With Dog on Roof (video)
- Journeys of a Shared Life
