If you know me, or you know Laura, you know that we are both such animal lovers. We had horses for years and years, but with the lockdown, and not being able to fully work our full-time jobs, it became increasingly difficult on our finances to continue keeping them as pets. We still love them, over the top mind you, but we just can't justify spending the money we were spending. Believe it or not, during the lockdown it was more expensive to keep the horses due to the lack of supplies coming into the stores and barns. We were literally paying an additional fee not only to get the feed and hay but to have it delivered and unloaded. It was a nightmare really, unnecessary, and in my opinion, needless! We survived, but we did give up our heart habit.
Because we already had a few dogs and cats lying about the house, Laura decided she had to have something else to fill in the extra time she normally would spend at the barn. She found that raising and rescuing lizards was fun! I like snakes, I like lizards, and I like other reptiles such as turtles and tortoises. I'm good with just about any pet. I have had spiders, millipedes, and even a pet oscar! (He was aptly named Oscar before I got him, and since I didn't believe he could or would know his name, I changed it to Brian for no reason whatsoever other than I could do it!)
Today, at last count, and I do have to say that because the day is young, we have three cats, two dogs, three rats, 1 uromastyx 1 crested gecko, 1 leopard gecko and my millipede "Falkirk". I rehomed my ball python. She was a rescue. We take them in and love them, fatten them up and find them good homes after we have been chosen for their foster parents. We don't mind the revolving door on the lizards and reptiles, but I could never rehome a dog or cat that I fostered. Nope. It would never happen. The rats were supposed to be a pair, they came nearly glued together with a bond so incredibly adorable, there was simply no way I could allow Laura to separate any of them from one another. We won't rehome them. They're staying until they all pass.
My daughter Caity is my wild animal rescue and rehabber. She literally finds them outside her door, in her garage, in her garden, in her trees, just wherever God decides to put them for her to find. She's brought in raccoons, rats, mice, squirrels, possum, and a wild bird or two. Laura will pick up the stray Canada goose or Wood Duck from our pond if she thinks it won't get on with the others well enough to survive. Caity goes out of her way to drag the creature into the house to force an enormous amount of love, pampering, care, and sheer family bonding. She is now on the call list for the wild animal vets. They call her and ask her if she can house or foster from time to time, at least until the animal(s) heal and can be released. That's how she came to have a blackbird without one of its legs! He was kept.
Reuben is a collector rather than a rescuing sort. He has either three or four dogs now, and by now I mean today. He has five cats that I know of, and he may or may not increase or decrease that number in the near future. He really can't be counted on to blog or post about these events in his life. I find out when I go to visit or when he comes up to visit and discusses their arrival or departure. He's not nearly as sentimental or ceremonial as the girls are. Fact. He's a man. He's a good man. He loves animals, won't kill the spiders in his house, releases field mice, and such. When he does release a field mouse he first calls Caity to see if she's in the area so she can pick it up, but that's been a minute. I think he just doesn't tell her now. He just lets them out and she'll never really know! (or does she?)
It is what it is, (Sin agad 'e if you speak Scots Gaelic). We will probably not buy or adopt any more horses for a while. We are finding that having the extra income in our bank accounts helps with buying actual food and paying actual bills for us humans. It's amazing how you find these things out after years of wondering where the money goes. Could we live without fur on our clothes? I would have no idea, we've never done that. I can't imagine thinking about doing that, and if I had to think about it I would cry. I know I've lost "friends" over it; I don't remember who or what their names were/are. That tells you how important they were in my life. If you don't like my dogs, my cats, my rats, pigs (I don't have pigs), and/or whatever finds its way to my house, you'll welcome to stay home and call me, text me, Facebook Message me, or just you know, don't. If you don't like animals, I may not like you!
That last paragraph, so you know, was written with a millipede on my head and a dog in my lap. In case you're wondering if having a millipede in your hair actually tickles, it does. They make great pets really; they never complain, but they don't guard the house, and they won't keep your feet warm. Dogs are good for that sort of thing. Ginger knows.
Photo Credit: FineArtAmerica.com
No comments:
Post a Comment