Tommy Rettig is dead.

He died in February of 1996 of natural causes. You may remember him as “Jeff Miller” who lived in the mythical town of Calverton, Wisconsin. His mom was played by Jan Clayton and Gramps, Jeff’s grandfather featured George Cleveland. The trio were the core of the show named “Lassie” that was on one of the two  national networks on Sunday nights at 6PM CST from 1954-1957.

Lassie was played by many collies and the show featured the dog and her family the Millers for three years to top ratings. It was about this time, 40 years ago, that Tommy left the show for a major city with his mother. Gramps in both reality and in the show had died and a new cast was being introduced.

Much of the show was cast in and around the back of the house and in the kitchen. The remaining scenes were the rolling hills of Wisconsin.  The stories were about dear hearts and gentle people, and how Lassie complimented the family  trying to make a living on a small family farm. Retting’s last scene was walking with his mother off the farm. Lassie remained behind. This original show would resurface in syndication called “Jeff’s Collie” and at the same time, a new generation of boomers would watch the travails of a new family with Lassie in Calverton.

Rettig’s name would surface again on an alleged  misdemeanor charge in the 70’s, but his real identity came as a child actor in five films and the show Lassie. There is a memorial web page for him on the internet.

Lassie, Checkers, and Socks are familiar names to Americans. Checkers was the dog of President Nixon who was made famous in a speech Nixon gave to save his career in the late 50’s. Socks  is a cat  that lives in the White House.

Cats and dogs.

Of all of the animals of various biological phylums, cats and dogs are the creatures we most likely take into our homes. According to the Animal Institute and published in THE  GAZETTE, we are quite willing to treat them as we do our kids. A plurality or a large majority  buy gifts and cards for their pets, talk to them(in person and on the answering  machine) sleep by them, and carry pictures of them in our pockets or purses.

According to US NEWS &WORLD REPORT, there  are 68 million cats and 56 million dogs that live with us, and Iowa is above average in having both creatures in our homes. Parenthetically, dogs bite some five million people a year and cost a billion dollars in litigation(20/20 ABC News.)

Perhaps, what attracts us to these creatures, is that with proper socialization, it seems as if they become sophisticated toddlers who excel in motor skills and non-verbal communication.

In our household, we have a cat and a dog named after  Beach Boys and Beatles songs. Wendy

(  “Wendy” in  the Beach Boys’All Summer Long  # 4, 8/1/64) is a ten year old cat who is extremely sophisticated  compared to all the cats that have ever lived with us before. Nightly, she sleeps next to me. With Jennifer on the other side (individuals not listed in order of importance) Max ( “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer “ in Abbey Road #1 in 10/18/69) sleeps at the bottom of the bed.  Max is 11 and very old  and  gray and is visually challenged. With our sons off to the university, they have become our kids.

It would seem that our bottom line with their behavior is that we ask that they not to harm the house when we are gone, that they sleep in appropriate places, observe official hygiene decorum, and most importantly provide affection.

In  a highly impersonal and sexualized world, cats and dogs allow for touching. These animals encourage conversations  between humans, are found in eldercare facilities for lonely seniors, and provide companionship for millions of households. These animals are also used in psychotherapy and some require psychotherapy and antidepressants themselves. Dogs provide assistants for the police, act as seeing  eyes dogs, and help those with seizures. They can be extremely helpful on farms.

In another section of  THE GAZETTE, a lost and found section is allocated for humans to be rejoined or reconnected with a family member that is a cat or dog.

Animal stories like Lassie become a metaphor for humans interacting with other creatures. We take them into our homes, treat them in a fashion like humans, and celebrate our days with them. The remains of past family members(cats and dogs) are now buried in the woods in the back of our house. And in human like fashion, we have a  memorial service for each one.

Fortunately or unfortunately, we may care for them  more than our distant relatives, neighbors, and colleagues.

The greatest treasure is that we can tell them our secrets and hope and believe that they understand in some way.

 Of utmost importance,  they  can not tell others. Alkthough it is not a dog’s world, cats and dogs are a major feature in the lives of humans.