Especially to all those who are no longer with us, including mine. Make sure you think of them today as well.
Wanted to share this little piece as well: Furry Friday: Pets Aren’t Kid Substitutes
The goal is not to raise productive members of society or construct some sort of old-age insurance policy, but simply to make a pet happy and healthy, to care for it in a way that extends that healthy life, and to soothe any memories of past trauma for rescues.
In return, many are loyally by your side whether you’re fighting Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s nuclear program or simply cleaning the casa. Many will teach you what unconditional love is, even my sweet old silly rat. But the point is not about what they give you back — a fish may be excited to see you, but isn’t going to cuddle. It’s about making a creature’s time on Earth, whatever the lifespan, happier, safer, more enjoyable.
I love my critters to death but don’t treat them like the children I never had; I think that does a disservice to both pets and kids. They’re different. In some ways, I think looking after a pet is more difficult; they can’t, for example, tell you when they are sick and in the vast majority of cases you will have to watch them die as well.
