Pictured is Northern Chautauqua Catholic School therapy dog Gus.

For those of us who do not have thick skin, these are trying times. The political atmosphere is at boiling point, and many people are behaving badly. Some of the most blatant evidence of the ugliness is on display in peoples’ front yards – homemade signs that malign political figures in crass, often obscene terms and images, ones that can’t be printed here.

While the displays are on private property, they are in full public view, and there is no way of sugar-coating them for kids as we drive by.

For those of us who suffer swings of the heart regarding the inherent goodness of man, these signs weigh heavily. The messages expose the mean spirited, ignorant people behind them who are oblivious to the subtleties of public discourse. So, we must remind ourselves again and again that these people do not represent the whole of humanity.

One way of dealing with any such harsh reality is to turn to animals for relief. Dogs, cats, horses, and everything from rabbits to cows to lizards can ease a distressed mind. Especially in dogs we see some of the virtues often lacking in members of our own species. Their needs are not complicated, their expectations of us are not unreasonable, their devotion is unconditional. They are dependent on our beneficence, and we are happy to please them. We trust them absolutely, and can reveal our naked souls to them more than to any human being.

Our relationship with animals is not just about how they serve us emotionally, or as our beasts of burden.

It is also about the qualities they bring out in us when we are around them – how they make us better people. We have a “therapy” dog at Northern Chautauqua Catholic School, Gus, who comes to school every day with his owner, math teacher Kristine Potter. All day long Gus interacts with kids from 4 to 14 years old as well as adults.

Therapy dogs are not registered service dogs; they are not trained to perform specific tasks helping the blind, deaf, or otherwise physically or mentally challenged. They do not sniff out bombs or take down bad guys. The whole purpose of therapy dogs (or “Emotional Support Dogs”) is to bring joy, comfort and a sense of security to people, primarily by just being warm and friendly. In hospitals and nursing homes, their effect is obvious. They bring instant smiles to patients, and for many older folks, to be able to pet them – to touch their soft fur and feel their warm breath on their faces – is a rare pleasure in the winter of their life. In children’s hospitals, these animals have an enormously positive impact.

There is not a kid in our school who does not behave affectionately or playfully toward Gus. They are gentle with him, respectful, and they love his beautiful, long English cream colored fur. Sometimes teachers bring little ones who are upset (often over something inexplicable) to sit on the floor with Gus. The transformation in mood is amazing to watch.

So I wonder how it is that we tend to bestow affection so readily on these creatures that do not look at all like us – that walk on four legs, are covered with fur, and have tails! An anthropologist or historian might make a case that the bond goes deep into the past, where canines and homo sapiens benefited mutually as hunters.

I’d like to think that it has something to do with our inborn sensibilities regarding how to treat others, especially those who are not as privileged in life, human or not. It is a Christian thing. Our kindness toward them is not driven by the prospect of getting something in return; it is an end in itself, a reward within the soul, something natural, like a flower that opens to the sun making the world a more beautiful place.

Of course my happy imagery here must wilt under the glare of the aforementioned political yard signs that are hateful and meant to spread hate. Still, I wonder if those sign-makers have dogs. If so, let’s hope they treat them well, and pet them softly sometimes, because if they do, it’s possible that they will receive a change of heart.

Pete Howard is the author of The Hourglass Pendant and other Paul James Mysteries. He lives in Dunkirk and teaches ELA at Northern Chautauqua Catholic School. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com