What if someone gave you a gift of a pet? Nothing that you expressed you ever wanted, or were able to pick out...or even sure you were ready to make that committment that is involved in having a pet? What now? What do you want to say? do? Then....what do you actually say/do?
I would tell the person, I really appreciate the thought, but at this moment I can not take on that extra responsibility.
I would also tell the person, that it is always better to check with the one you want to give a pet to, just in case for what ever reason they can not accept. I would also tell them, it is cruel to the pet to be thust on to someone that might not have the same feelings as them about the pet.
Well, the boarder did go off and get himself that big boxer dog, which I initially wasn't thrilled about. But that worked out for us. That aside, I'd still have to say no.
Come to think of it, the cat lying in the easy chair across the room is a legacy. In the spring of '95, my 90-year-old Aunt Martha was tidying up her affairs, and she had one final request, that we take the kitten hiding in the barn. We did, and she's been a mild bother ever since. I mean, how would you like to wake up in the morning, with a cat's paw resting on your ear?
Okay, those two animals aside, we'd still have to give a firm, resolute, I'm-not-kidding no.
Wait, if something happens to our young friend, Will, then we'll be taking in his dog, Dixie Face. She's a black lab, and when she's in the backyard, it's like a party back there. I don't know what it is about her, but she's a party animal of the first magnitude.
Besides her and the other two, no more. We'd say no. Nope. Not gonna, take it back.
HaHa Wurdguy! My husband and my father, together, gave me a gift of a tiny Welch Terrier puppy one year. Ugliest puppy I had ever seen! Took me about 5 minutes to fall in love with her. I have also been given the gift of a parakeet and a cockatiel before. I have taken in many unwanted (throw aways) pets. Some we found other homes for, some stayed. I guess if someone tried to give me another dog or cat I would probably say, no. But then just about everyone knows I have all the dogs I can say grace over. LOL
It is so hard to say "no", but sometimes it is for the better meant of the animal. I have a feline herpe virus cat and I could not jerpordize another cat that could catch the virus and Shala is sick enough, it would also put her in danger of going further into depression. So in that case, I would have to say "no", but it is hard to do.
Gee, it doesn't seem so long ago, but I guess it was -- we were driving along the Natchez Trace Parkway one bright spring day, when we saw a puppy on the side of the road. Obviously, someone had tossed it out of their car and bravely driven off. I turned our car around, and we went back for the little guy.
He had his head inside a paper cup, licking whatever moisture there was in it. He saw me, became frightened, and ran in the opposite direction, as fast as his little legs would carry him. I quickly caught him, and we put him in the car between us. As soon as we could, we gave him water and something to eat.
We were so very young, and somewhere in my wife's mind was the idea that things worked out for the best, always. A couple of mornings after the pup arrived, she strongly suggested I take the little fellow to the pound and they would find a good home for him. I told her that sounded like a great idea, and i'd gather up his toys and a change of socks, and I'd personally pack him off to the pound. That's what I said, yep.
She came home that evening, and there he was, waiting for her at the door. That was exactly where she knew he'd be -- she wasn't surprised and didn't pretend she was.
He was just a mutt. A black and white puppy, who even though he was small, would defend his food bowl against all canine comers. Our plan all along was to find him a good home. He was cute enough, but then, what puppy isn't, right? Just to plant a seed in a prospective master's mind, I named him Gucci. Never could find a taker, but then, maybe neither I nor Herself tried that hard. He wasn't the smartest dog we ever had, nor the bravest, but he proved to be a good friend.
His favorite thing in this world was a female dog I'd rescued from the pound a year earlier. I called her Scruffy, my mother said that wasn't a name to inflict on a dog, so she called her Gloria. She became officially, Scruffy Gloria. Anyway, I'd had her "fixed," but be that as it may, Gucci really liked her. She was small, he was big, but it was he who followed her around. She died long before he did, and I don't think an hour ever went by that he didn't miss her. He was just never the same after she left us.
My guys have taught me a lot over the years, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have known each and every one of them.
Wurdguy, you are a true lover of animals. You also make the list of good dads. I enjoy hearing all of your heart warming stories of the animals you saved from certain death and took them into your home, with all the love you could give. They were very lucky animals to have found you and your wife.
Yes, I too love the stories that you tell, Wurdguy about your pets, how they became yours and especially how you named them. Now to your question, Janay. I have received, and accepted several pets from people, and at least 10 pets that simply came to my door and said they wanted to move in. The first unwanted gift was from a little boy, who came to our front-door with a cute little puppy in his hand. He said, "would you like to have this little dog". How could we say no? But that was over 25 years ago while we lived in Hawaii. Three years later, we got orders to move to Germany, and we left little KeKi with a co-worker because she was almost hairless, and I was afraid she wouldn't live through a winter in Germany. Had a known that there are actually coats for dogs, I would have taken her with us. I missed her terribly. Phenix, my old Aussie lady, was a gift from my brother-in-law. We already had a dog and two cats at the time, lived on a farm, and had told our good brother that we didn't want one of his puppies, even IF they were purebred or AKC registered. Well, during one of his visits, he came with her. Poor little thing had ridden for 3 hours in the back of a cow-trailer, and was scared out of her mind. Was I going to send her back? Of course not. Then there is Zena-cat, who belongs to my granddaughter. When they moved to Hawaii and she learned she couldn't take her cat her first idea was to ask my son "Can grandpa and grandma take my cat until we come back?" Could we say "no!" Of course not...
I completely agree with Janay, however, I find I have some real weaknesses in that area.
Wurdguy, love your stories, I'm waiting for your book? Ever think of writing one? You seem to have the nak for it!
Janay, I agree with you, and I think that's wise in Shala's condition for the other animal(s) as well as her. I think if you were to bring another pet in, that would be so much extra stress for you and Shala! Shala needs you all to herself right now!
Sigrid, you better go look out your front door and see if you see a neon light, above your front door, stating,"c'mon in...safe animal haven" I thought it was just me...sometimes I feel those animals are a magnet to me or visa versa! But I do think they are smart enough to know who is kind hearted, and will take them in and care for them. I even have a squirrel who presses his face against my doorwall, requesting his peanut butter sandwich pretty much everyday!!
I love all of your stories. I have had pets, show up at my door and friends have given me pets.
Calico showed up a skinny, dirty, little kitten at our farm and in my husband's shop. He called me and said, "There is a skinny little kitten in the shop eating dog food." I said, bring me that cat and as the saying goes, the rest is history. She provides me with love and friendship everyday.
A friend asked me to take Bootie. She said she had seen a mother cat dead on the road with the same coloring (black and white) as Booite. Bootie Baby had showed-up on there door-step and they fed her. However, there big tom-cat Sam didn't like her. Soooo, we took her and she has been a joy ever since. She and Calico are great friends.
I don't think friends or relatives would try and give us a pet now becuase they know we have cats. We are going to Texas for two months and we are only allowed two pets. Our son, MAYBE would take a dog because he lives on the farm and has a lot of room....but that Willie (our grand-dog) is very hyper!
