The Animals We Love

Today's Topic: Pets

I think it's safe to say that some people love animals more than they love humans. The only logical reasoning behind this is plain and simple: pets will never judge you. Your dog, your cat, your hamster, your fish, your horse (and yes even your cows)...you have next to complete control over their lives.

I think it would be safe to say that 99% of people in this world have cared for something other than a human being at some point in their life. What really amazes me is how pets control our life. There are so many different degrees of responsibility and roles that pets play in a day-in day-out routine. Some families look at a cat or dog, the two most common pets worldwide, as a member of the family. And why not? They can be around for years, and some feel closer to a pet than some of their friends. I'm not making that up, and yes, that is sad for us as the species Homo sapiens. We often tend to care more about our animals than our own species. And the money they cost...let's face it, pets can be very, very pricey. Dogs are often referred to as having a second kid. After food, shots, toys, grooming, etc etc etc...return on investment? 0% Unless you are breeding them to sell, then you are in a whole new ball game. Cats can be the same, horses even more so. But its all for love, right? The need to feel some sort of acceptance or compassion. So money is usually not the issue with pets.

We always remember our "first" of everything, and the "first" pet is no exception. I want you to take a minute and think back to your very first pet. Something low maintenance probably, and something that you could maybe forget to feed for a few days. A goldfish (maybe even the one you won in a plastic bag in a ring toss game at the fair), a rabbit or even a gerbil. Think of the care and the love you probably gave it. The happiness and pride you must have took in "owning" something. My parents would never leave me with full responsibility for an animal (which was probably the right call) But for me, my first real pet was an exotic one. A pet duck named Fluffy. A little ball of fuzzy fur and a pet that I could call my own. He was just a baby duck when I got him at the age of 4. I thought I was on top of the world with this duck and to top it off, we were a team. The local Belleville Fair had a pet show that same year and Fluffy and I were entered. The competition was heavy (of course) as dozens of parents wanted to show off to the world how cute they thought there child was with their pet. The biggest challenge in the pet show was that you had to have something unique with your animal. My duck did a trick.

For two weeks, I trained Fluffy the duck to slowly waddle up a small ramp, stand at the top, and jump into a pool of water below. Yes folks, I was melting hearts. I remember it so vividly... practicing in the back room of my house with Fluffy, training him to walk up the ramp and jump into a pool of water, and hopefully even making a "quack" on the landing. When the competition day rolled around, Fluffy did his thing. Performed with grace, wowed the audience and smiles were a glow. A 4 year old kid had trained his pet duck to do a simple trick. It earned me Reserve Grand Champion Pet that year in 1991 and I can proudly say that I still have the trophy in my house to this day. In fact, I am looking at it as we speak. I lost out to a rat of some sort...not sure why but I did anyway. To be perfectly honest, it didn't matter. I still had to give an acceptance speech when I received my award at the year end banquet. A convincing 4-year-old approached the microphone and gave a subtle two word speech: "Thank you" to the cheering audience. Instant classic.

I wish I could tell you that Fluffy and I had many, long and happy days together; but sadly, like so many pet stories, the story ends in tragedy. After a winning performance, Fluffy left to stay with my Uncle Doug until we could build a bigger cage for him. Mistake number one. I asked my parents every day when Fluffy was coming back. Mistake number two. It was weeks later that they sat me down and told me that Fluffy flew away. Mistake number three. I found out from my siblings that a wolf broke into my Uncle Doug's duck shed and "cleaned out" the whole flock. I cried for days. And weeks.

When we lose something we love, we hurt. Animals become life friends; moments in time for happiness and love. I think it's the compassion that we love so much. That no matter what, we can play with our cat, watch our dog chase birds, and in my case, milk a cow or perform a trick for an audience. I think it's the "hands on" that makes us suckers for animals. When we see something cute, we just want to pet it, love it and show them that they can have a place to call home and be cared for. Pets can be hobby or a business. They can make us money or just make us memories. We can ride them, take them for a car ride, walk them, show them, and even make them do tricks. Dogs are friendly, cats are playful, rabbits are cute, horses are graceful and cows are smart. Reptiles are exotic and are always a topic of conversation and even sheep, pigs or lambs make their way into the pet circle.

Animals truly are amazing creatures. People often forget that animals have so much personality and oh, the stories they could tell if they could speak. Animation studios have made us believe anything is possible with the movies they push out every year, bringing animals to life and giving them a persona; and we love them for it. They give kids something to be excited for and they give parents a simple break from the daily grind.

Remember that simple interaction between animals and humans will always exist, in our homes and in nature. The moments we share with our pets may not always be free, but the moments and memories that they engrave in our heads last a lifetime. And if you can't help but feel just a bit of love for any sort of baby animal or they can't make you smile just once in your life, then you are not human. Yes, nothing lasts forever and that includes pets. Many will come and go from our lives, but it's the caring stages we go through that teach us life lessons. It's the puppy face moments and the cat chasing it's tail that gives us years of laughter. These things are unique to every one of us and are irreplacable.

The possibilities for a pet are endless. So if you haven't had a pet in awhile, take and chance and soak it all in. And if you already have a pet, really look at your animal and wonder in the magnificent magic of a brain other than that of a human. After all, you could stare at it all day, and it will never yell back or judge you. If that's not some sort of love, I don't know what is.