We've always had animals too - our first was a golden retirever mix called Judy. Judy-poo was the runt of a litter of puppies, she had chronic hip problems all her life as she was born with hip dysplasia, but she was the sweetest, gentlest lump you'd ever meet. She lived to be 11 - we had to send her over the rainbow bridge when one day her hips gave out on her completely. It was far kinder to her to let her go than to put her through gruelling surgery and therapy that would have caused her far more pain than she was already in. Bless her paws, I still miss her
Had a big fluffy Grey & white cat. "Named Fluffy." When I was really little. Don't remember much I was so young, but remember (pictures &) watching her have kittens! Then, when my sister & I were in grade school we got a peek-A- poo. She was black with a white chin & chest. She lived a long time. Must have been around 15 yrs or more. I was living in MN when she passed & I remember my sister calling to tell me. She was newly pregnant @ the time w/ my nephew, so when she called crying, I thought something had happened to the baby. I cried so hard. I was in my twenties by that time, so we had had her for a very long time. It took me a long time to get over that, not having been there for closure.
I grew up on a farm and people were always dumping their animals out in the country. I was allowed to have one dog and he was an older Heinz 57 type. He was such a sweet dog who put up with a small child. After he passed away I got to keep the next friendly dog to come along, another Heinz 57 who was younger. He was also a sweet friendly dog. I don't understand why anyone would've wanted to get rid of either of them.
I grew up with a German Shepard/Collie mix names Sabre. But he wasn't a "pet" in my mind, he was my big brother (he was 3 years older than me and was my protector, friend, confidant and snuggle buddy). Sadly, he had to be put to sleep at 16. After that, mom said no more pets.
So the first actual pet I had was a baby bunny almost 20 years later. We bought her at a flea market for $8.00 and they actually put her in a paper bag to carry her home in. We named her Ceaser because we were told it was a male. When we took him/her to the vet the next day they said "ummm, no. You have a Cleopatra!". She just became known as "Bunny" after that. She lived in our double walking closet when we weren't there and had free run the house when we were. She was such a sweetie. Many mornings when I did not have to go to work early she would snuggle on my should while I petted her and sang "Catch a Falling Star". She would grind her teeth, snuggle up, fall asleep, and upon waking would promptly poop in my hair. Yep, routine didn't change regardless of the cats. She needed her quality time at least once a day.
Lord, I miss Bunny.
I rehomed her when I had to move and she had another 2 years of happy living. She passed at away at age 6 which I understand is not a bad age for Buns?
A baby box turtle that my dad found by a pond when he worked mowing golf courses and brought home. We put him in a tank, named him Jeffy, and enjoyed him for 3 weeks until my 3-year-old sister shoved him under the couch in an attempt to give him a new home.
Interestingly, several years later my 3-year-old cousin did something similar to my goldfish while my younger sister was supposed to be babysitting her. She decided he needed lots of food, so she dumped it all in. Then, when he didn't eat, she shoved him into the food container. I was less devastated that time, since I was 17 (and it was a goldfish. I wasn't allowed to have cats.) :lol3: