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Along Life’s Way
Amazing Pets
By Lois E. Wilson
When I was growing up, I had a variety of pets: goldfish, baby
chickens, a duck, and at different times—a couple of cats. Except for
the fish, my pets were outside or garage pets. My parents being from
rural backgrounds and wanting to protect their hard-earned depression
era furnishings seldom let them into the house. For the most part, this
practice carried over to me.
Snookie, my black and white cat, somehow figured out which of our
second story windows was that of my bedroom. She surprised me one day
when I found her crying and sitting on the outside window ledge. She
had climbed up a large maple tree in our front yard and jumped to the
sloping roof below, then up to the window. One time a neighbor boy
maliciously dipped my cat into car oil. Angry, I complained to his
grandmother and they cleaned the cat. Later in life the culprit must
have repented for he became a minister.
I have noticed that for couples, pets are often a prelude to
parenthood. Newly married, after awhile, they feel the urge to get a
pet. Perhaps it is the nesting instinct. My husband was in the army and
we were living on the base at Fort Knox. We purchased a mixed-breed
shepherd dog, Vickie. Out of military service and back in Ohio, I
was expecting our first child. We weren’t able to keep the dog at our
apartment. Jim’s folks needed a farm dog and eagerly accepted Vickie as
the solution. Vickie never forgot us as her first human parents.
Our older son was given a Mexican snapping turtle by a naturalist. The
turtle was named Crusher. We bought a large horse tank and put it in
the basement of our Dayton home to house the turtle and other
amphibians. Our son also had a queen snake in the basement which
escaped from its cage. I refused to go to the basement and do laundry
until it was caught and secured. He found it wrapped around the antenna
of the TV set. Queen snakes carry their eggs within their bodies and
give birth to live snakes. She blessed us with a batch of 6” slithering
babies.
Both sons enjoyed other pets. Our toy poodle, Taffy, always had the
fluffiest hair. We finally discovered why. She slept with our cat which
groomed her regularly. We had always admired Border Collies as a breed.
After settling in Greenville, we purchased a female one whose lineage
came directly from Scotland. We attended the Bob Evans festival that
year to watch her sire do a herding exhibition.
Kylie lived in the garage. When I needed to go away in the car, I would
tell her “get in your bed.” It was a large dog cage which could be
locked. Before long, whenever I went out to leave, she would go into
her bed without my saying anything. If I wasn’t going away, she didn’t.
My husband still had to give her the command. One day I discovered her
secret. I sent my husband, carrying my purse, out into the garage. She
looked at him and went in her cage immediately.
Pets such as cats and dogs are great companions. We learn a lot by
caring for them. They calm us down. They listen to our problems without
talking back. And best of all—they love us unconditionally. Who can ask
for anything more?
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