Scared now...
 

So the 2018 Federal budget first draft has been released. Trump needs several billion dollars of taxpayer money since Mexico won't finance his border wall. Currently slated for MASSIVE cuts:

Medicare
Medicaid
SSI Disability
SSDI Disability
SNAP (food stamps)
TANF (temporary assistance for needy families)

Seriously. Estimates range from $250 billion to $800 billion in cuts while the wealthy get another tax cut and industries do too--along with seats in the EPA, but that's not budget.

If this goes through, my family unit will be devastated. All 3 of us may end up with our rent money drastically slashed or eliminated. If I have to leave, it will mean euthanizing my pet, who is far too old to survive the 700+ miles, 3 mountain ranges, and an entire time zone I'll have to move across to keep a roof over my head. I won't be able to take my other pet, and if my sweetie can't find a place to live that means 2 more pets that aren't adoptable will have to be put down. I'll never see my menfolk again, and after 14 years with one and 8 with the other that's gonna hurt if it comes to pass.

This isn't something the public gets input on, either. Sure, there may be town halls and activism and and and...but in the end, Trump wants that wall so bad if he had enough of his own money left he'd probably build it that way. And the currently Republican-dominated everything in Washington, DC is vehemently anti-social-services.

Today, my spirit animal is "Bucky Barnes in Civil War, clipping that bug-out bag tight across his chest and running like Satan (actually T'Challa in the movie but hey, he's nearly as scary) is breathing fire on his heels". Or Godzilla, depending on whether I'm more angry or scared at any given moment.

You're building worst case scenarios in your head. Worrying about things that may or may not happen, but haven't happened yet, and you can't do anything to prevent, is self abuse. Don't do that to yourself. If it doesn't happen you're suffering for naught, if it does happen, you've suffered from now till then for naught.

If the future makes you afraid, you're a frayed Knot. ;)

Listen to Bruce, he knows what he's talking about. Seriously, read it again, let it sink in.

Meditate on that statement. Repeat, ruminate. Let it be, let it marinate your brainwaves.
Let it negate the pain waves your brain craves when it agitates on your pain days.

okay, I've been listening to a lot of hip hop

Miles, mountain ranges, and time zones mean nothing to an animal. What you just said is that you don't think your pet will live another 10 - 14 hours. Unless you plan on doing the "700+ miles, 3 mountain ranges, and an entire time zone" on foot.

And that means it'll be quite dead well before any of this budget business comes to pass.

So that's one thing for which you don't have to construct a nightmare scenario.

No - but routine and home turf can be important, particularly to an older animal. Travel can be stressful for some animals -and an extended journey, with stopovers at motels could be very stressful.

That said: there are ways to mitigate the stress - feliway for cats and adaptil for dogs. I can highly recommend.

Also - as stressful as the above might be for the animal, it is important to remember that some of it may be perceived stress on our part too and try not to underestimate their ability to cope.

I'll add animals read us, and if we're stressed they definitely pick up on that which stresses them some.

Bloomberg say don't worry

Very true. You can do a lot for them by calming yourself in stressful situations.

The worst is, it's not about pets...

Wut they said.

There is a lot of magical thinking in DC right now. They seem to think they're going to heal the sick, enable the disabled, and employ the unemployed by simply taking away crutches. They must feel pretty Jesusy.

Not sure how that analysis gets to "don't worry"; all it says is that Trump himself doesn't know or care what's in the budget. But the "Freedom Caucus" does, and they have a big seat at the table. The final budget will have to get votes from either Democrats or the "Freedom Caucus"; which one will they attempt to woo?

Stop focusing on what might happen and what you'll no longer have, and focus on what you do have and how you can use it now to protect yourself if the worst does happen. You've done some worrying, it didn't make it better. Positive thinking and action (of any sort) can be major factors in helping at times like these. If you build it....

They said what Trump proposed (the Freedom Caucus budget) couldn't get more than 50 votes in the House. Everything is on the table, and most Congress Critters are very aware what their constituents want. Hopefully when they hammer out the final budget that will come into play.