It is a well-known fact that animals, when treated with
love and respect, are natural tranquilizers for humans. Having a pet in the house is good for everyone. Dogs are appreciative,
faithful, and love the closeness you give them with hugs and attentions. They provide great companionship for children
and also for the elderly. Their calm acceptance of life on their own levels are a calming influence of human beings.
Cats are different. They love attention, being coddled with their
favourite foods, but they like their distance and their independence. When they want attention, they will come to you.
While some cats are extremely shy, others are quite social and will show their affection by rubbing their noses next to yours,
or giving head butts. The calm purring of a cat is a great night time remedy for those who have sleep problems.
Other pets, such as fish and birds can be great also. Some
people prefer rabbits for pets because they are quiet and also because their refuse can be used to fertilize house plants.
I've had pets since birth. There wasn't one year that went by
that I didn't have a pet of some kind. One day, I found a sparrow that couldn't fly and I didn't know why, so my cousin Bob
would find worms for it to eat, and I kept vigil on my ward. This little creature stood on my shoulder most of the summer,
and when summer was over, I was given the task of letting it go. I did. It went, but I never forgot it. It was
a gift from above indeed!
In the beginning there was a little dog called "Beauty".
She belonged to my grandparents, and she slept outside my bedroom door in that big house of theirs. She was my sidekick
throughout my young years. Although I have no pictures of her, she bears mentioning here because she was my very first
experience - from birth - with an animal. It was through Beauty that I learned to love animals.
