Pets In A Cup

Thursday, April 2, 2015; Unconscious dreaming

I was out with a good friend, Cliff, who was helping me look for a pet at a department store. One of the staff pointed where the pets were, and I headed over to the aisle. I walked the aisle but all I saw were stores of large cups but could hear animal sounds, all in distress. Upon a closer inspection, I could see that the sounds were coming from the cups lining the shelves. A sign above the shelves read ‘pets in a cup’. On the shelves along the left hung a sign saying, ‘puppies in a cup’. On the right the sign read, ‘kittens in a cup’.

Looking back to the left, I could now see the cups held puppies of several varieties: Dalmatians, Rottweilers, Dachshunds and others. These puppies were at the age of just being weaned from their mothers. Their small forms were tightly packed and sealed in clear cups with minuscule holes in the tops for air. The kittens were the same. Another but small sign along the shelves stated, “Expiration date, 32 hours after packing,” which meant if not sold and released, they would die.

I became more aware of their small whimpering, and their bodies so tightly packed, they were immobilized. I could not take their suffering and reached up, grabbing the first cup nearest me. I ripped open the top and pulled out a Dalmatian pup and released it onto the floor. I then pulled the next cup off and did the same. Those I had not gotten to rose their voices pleading that I would get to them. My friend Cliff saw what I was doing and began helping in the rescue.

We had made it through the puppies and started on the kittens when the manager of the department store stepped into the aisle.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he screamed at us. I stepped up and got into his face.

“We’re releasing the animals from their suffering, and before they die,” I told him.

“You can’t come in here and do that, it’s illegal. These animals are store property; I’m calling the police,” the manager shot back.

“Go head,” I screamed, “because I’m calling PETA. This is abuse. You and anyone else involved will be going to jail.” I turned away and went back to ripping open the cups and pouring the kittens onto the floor along with the puppies. A movement caught the corner of my eye and when I looked, the manager had joined me and Cliff in freeing the animals. When I came to the last in line of cups, there sat a square box. Inside was an octopus packed as tightly as the others but due to his gelatinous body, his tentacles squirmed around inside slimming things up. Being out of his element, he had to be suffering even more.

I pulled the box down but could not locate the lid. I punched the box in four sides opening small holes. On the fourth hole, the octopus flung out his tentacles and used them to push against my chest. The force caused me to drop him before I could finish breaking open the box. On the floor, the octopus ran off in a bizarre scene which reminded me of the green aliens on the Simpson’s.

I finished my line of cups and saw Cliff and the manager working on the last ones. I looked around to find more and noticed a monitor used in store advertising. I walked over and looked at the display. On the screen was a documentary on the company packing the animals and their procedure. Top opened cages ran parallel on each side of a conveyor belt. Inside the cages, were the puppies and kittens separated with their own kind. On the belt rode a line of cups, above the cups hung robotic arms. While the pups and kits played among themselves, the arms reached down and would snatch up one of the animals. The helpless creature then got pushed into the cup unexpectedly causing their limbs to become distorted. It was bad enough been packed so tightly, but this would greatly add to the pain.

I could not watch anymore and felt bile begin to rise in my throat. I ran up to the manager and asked where the restrooms were; he pointed to the back of the store. I took off, hoping I could keep things down until I reached the toilet. At the back of the store I searched but did not find them. I found a salesman for the store and asked where the restrooms were; he said he was new and did not know. Just then Cliff ran up and said he had found them. I followed him as we ran down the back wall to a single door. Cliff threw the door open and I rushed in. I dropped to the floor sticking my head over the toilet. As I heaved, I awoke.