I have had pets of one form or another for just about as long as I can remember.

And I think that folks owning pets is generally a good thing on a number of levels.

But I've noticed something lately that disturbs me to no end. Dogs on chains in yards. There are several houses around town where you'll see a dog chained up at all times and in all weather. It seems to me that some folks would rather have a lawn ornament than a pet.

Yes, sometimes you'll find my hound, Huck, tied to a tree in our yard. But it's never for very long, and it's usually because something needed to be done in the house and it was simply easier to put the him out than to attempt to do it around him. And if our yard was fenced, you'd never find him tied up.

But that's not the same as some of these places. I'm talking about the places where the dog has been in the same place so long that he's worn all the grass away in a circle the diameter of his chain. I'm talking about the places where it doesn't matter when you go by, or how hot or cold it is outside. There's one place in town that has a very large yard, and the dogs are tied up as far from the house as they can be. It makes me wonder why they purchased dogs at all. And something that bothers me even more is when I see a giant, 100 pound-plus, dog on a five foot chain with barely enough slack to turn around.

Huck is a member of my family. I use the word "pet," but that doesn't quite do justice. He lays at our feet while we watch movies. He romps and plays and chases balls when I take him outside. He'll give high-fives on command. His greatest pleasure is to take a ride in the car. He knows when my wife and I are getting ready to leave the house, and he has literally done a flip in the past when told he gets to go. And you should see his poor little tail droop if told he can't.

Owning a pet is a huge responsibility and commitment. It should not be taken lightly. Animals' intelligence and emotional states are often highly underestimated or totally ignored, yet they still need to be taken into consideration.

If you want something to display in your front yard, consider one of the many finely made concrete statues available. It might cost a little more at the get-go. But it will never need shots, food or other care.