Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
The Best Day Ever
When I was 15 years old, my older sister decided to get a dog, while my childhood dog was 13 years old. My sisters and I needed a new companion to love when Clarabelle passes away. We begged my dad for a new puppy all night after coming home from Red Lobster. It was about 10 o’clock at night before he said “fine you can have a dog!” My sisters and I were so excited. We emailed and called the lady who was selling the puppies and we requested one. We asked for pictures so she asked for an interview and for us to put a deposit down to show that we were serious. When we made it to her house it was in a quiet town in southern Alabama. The lady had the cutest four-week-old Yorkshire Terriers. Their eyes weren’t even open because they were so small. Well, when we knocked on her door I was smiling from ear-to-ear. I just couldn’t believe we were actually getting a dog! Then the lady opened her door and invited us in. We walked in and sat on her couch in her living room while she went and grabbed the puppies. She brought two little puppies out, because we weren’t sure of which one would like our family and fit in the most. The one I held in my hands was named Jasmine after the Disney princess, and the one my older sister held was named Ariel. Jasmine snuggled with me, but after all this was for my sister. So we went with the other puppy named Ariel. Her fur coat was so silky. She had fleas at the time and it was so sad because they made her itch all over and she was so young she did not know how to itch yet because she was so young. When we got into the car she was so small and she didn’t know the smell or the look of the car. But boy, oh boy, was that the best decision we had ever made. When we brought her home we gave her a bath to try and get the fleas off with a special wash. And when that didn’t work we went to Petco to see if they had a stronger pet wash. We ended up getting a a flea oatmeal wash and a flea comb. When we ended up getting back home she started shivering so we turned up the heat. When she got warm we grabbed a puppy bottle and started to bottle feed her. She didn’t like her bottle at all so we transferred it to a syringe and we were able to get the milk into her mouth faster. She has brought so much joy into our lives. My older sister ended up getting a job and getting married, so Ariel stays at my house. I have to say that getting a dog was the best day of my life. She gets a toy pretty much everyday, and we feed her raw primal rabbit for her lunch and dinner. Ariel’s favorite toys are the ones that have loud squeakers. She also loves toys that have super stuffed inside so she can take out the fluff. Ariel recently got a one month old Pomeranian sister named Nala like from The Lion King. Ariel is still getting used to Nala but the long they are together they get use to each other and start to like each other. Every time we come home Ariel gets so excited to see us and she starts crying because she missed us so much. I used to not care too much for dogs, but ever since Ariel came into our lives I have become a huge dog person.
By Ericka deann7 years ago in Petlife
How I Switched My Cat to Wood Litter. Top Story - October 2018.
As someone who grew up with cats, cat litter was always a staple in my household. I saw litters of every kind come and go. From massive boxes of clay that I could barely lift with my scrawny arms to fancy, Fabreeze infused litters that gave me a headache and, of course, "miracle" lightweight litter that gave off more dust than could possibly be safe for any creature to inhale. Despite my misgivings about litter, and it's annoying habit of ending up all over my apartment, I always felt that it was a necessary aspect of owning a cat. Little did I realize there was a cost-effective, biodegradable solution that I could be using! I'm talking about wood pellets.
By Alina Gallupe7 years ago in Petlife
A Woman's Best Friend
In the UK in 2017/18 45 percent of us owned a pet, half of those being dog owners. Animals are an important part of our lives and families, but when they die our grief is treated differently than if we had lost a human family member. In my experience the grief is no less and the impact no less great.
By Clair Stevenson7 years ago in Petlife
The Dog That Lived
As a normal college graduate would do, I was on the hunt for the perfect career... in Florida. My family and I are from Central Illinois and I grew up here so this was a big change. On a whim, I decided I would like to take the chance and move to the amazing state of Florida.
By Austin Conour7 years ago in Petlife
Signs Your Adopted Pet Was Abused (And What to Do About It)
Adopting a pet is a milestone in one's life. As exciting and rewarding as it may seem on the surface, it comes with great responsibility. Pet parents want nothing but the best for their animals and that begins with their health. When adopting a pet, there is a chance that the animal may have been previously abused, which means that the animal has suffered from injuries and neglect, thus resulting in extreme behavior. It takes extra care and attention for these abused animals to feel safe and secure.
By Lindsay Parks7 years ago in Petlife
Gifts from Horses
To some people, horses are extremely intimidating, and it's understandable why. They are very tall, heavy creatures that can at times be unpredictable. Of course anything with a mind of its own can be unpredictable to us, and that's part of what makes bonds with all kinds of animals so special. Although, unlike cats or dogs, horses are prey animals. Their first instinct is to be cautious and afraid of new things. That's why the connection you'll feel between a horse and yourself is even more precious than with most other animals. This does mean you have to be cautious around them, though.
By Ashlyn Funk-Tracy7 years ago in Petlife
Cat and Dog
After school on February 1, 2008 when I was eight years old, my family and I went to the animal shelter next to my house to look at the cats and possibly adopt one that day. When we walked in, we entered the room that held all their cats, there were about fifteen or twenty that day and I immediately saw this orange and white tabby that I loved while my brother say a grey and black cat (who had been meowing since we walked in the room) that he liked. A worker came inside the room and got the orange and white cat out of his crate and said, "This is Louie." My parents talked to her for a while about him and when she left the cat finally stopped meowing and my dad said, "The next cat who meows gets to come home with us," and Louie meowed. We took that as some sort of sign that he was meant for us to have him and we got him. When we were at the counter for him, the worker told us that he had a little cold and we would have to give him some medicine for it. This made it worse for him when he came home, he was in a brand new place and on top of him not knowing us we had to hold him (when he wanted to be left alone) and give him the medicine.
By Madison Shaw7 years ago in Petlife
My ESA Changed My Life
I've had pets my entire life. We always had stray cats that we fed and I created bonds with. I've been allowed to have a couple indoor/outdoor cats over the years. But it wasn't until I left for college and got my first pet of my very own that I even realized how much just having an animal for company can effect my quality of living.
By Natalia Darby7 years ago in Petlife
