I had another column ready to go this week, but a conversation I had Tuesday night forced a last-minute substitution.

My good friend Bryan has been in Carbondale for a long time. I had the pleasure of working with him at trash production factory in the Quads in 1992. Believe me when I tell you that Bryan has a lot to say about Carbondale and SIUC.

We were at an illegal Carbondale house party, talking about this very column, when I asked Bryan what he would most like to see in my column.

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Write about stray dogs, guy . . . he answered.

I have to admit, I was impressed.

Most people I talk to about my column are quick to provide me with a plethora of dogmatic issues to tackle. While these topics are generally broad-based, they usually do have one thing in common a reoccurring theme of personal human oppression usually involving that individual directly.

Not my pal Bri, though.

Bryan thinks that it is extremely important that everybody realizes the responsibility associated with having a dog. So do I. Bryan owns two strays. His first, Buddy, is just that. When I first saw him, only two days after Bryan rescued him from a Texas expressway, he looked like a little rat. At 6 weeks old, Buddy had no hair, and the medicine Bryan used to treat his mange smelled quite terrible. Throughout his whole ordeal (an ordeal the dog doctor said Buddy had a very slim chance of surviving), this little dog was an inspiration. His will to live coupled with Bryan’s heroic actions have assured Buddy a long and happy life. Unfortunately, Buddy is a rare exception.

College students are notorious for dumping dogs. I’m not trying to label anyone as irresponsible, but it is easy to understand how attractive the idea of having a dog is to so many students. It also is easy to understand how cumbersome that same dog can become when it’s time to move.

Some students believe that dropping a pet off at the humane shelter is a guarantee that the dog will be adopted into a good home. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the day that animal is dropped off at the shelter, a race against the clock begins. Most human shelters keep strays less than one week before destroying them. Considering this, most strays have a better chance of living a little longer outside captivity.

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The most important thing Bryan would like people to consider is adopting strays. While it is true that a cute little puppy is adorable, there are innocent dogs on death row who will die waiting to be adopted. If you are considering acquiring a dog, please contact the Humane Shelter.

Finally, I would like to thank Bryan for bringing this message to the attention of our readers. Dogs can certainly provide a special kind of fulfillment that no other pet seems to offer. Every time I look at little Buddy, I’m reminded of this.