Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
Mr. Darcy and Me. Top Story - July 2018.
For perhaps the first time in my life, this piece is not an ode to Mr. Darcy of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. While my Mr. Darcy was given the namesake because of my favorite novel, he is a hero in his own right. Nearly three years ago when I suddenly became very sick I thought that I would suddenly get better. However, that was far from the case. Fast forward through at least ten doctors, six hospitals, fifty-plus medications, six CT scans, two universities, more tests than I can count, and I am still sick. My journey is an ongoing one, it is wrought with fear, sadness, and a very deep loneliness.
By Becca Volk8 years ago in Petlife
Bunny Basics 101: What You Need to Know Before Getting a Pet Rabbit
So you have decided to get a new bunny? Congrats! I'm going to go ahead and assume you clicked on this post because you want to know what you NEED to know before you get a rabbit. Well, fear not, for you have come to the right place! Let me start with some background information about me and why you can trust my bunny knowledge!
By Rebecca Slaney8 years ago in Petlife
Freeing Lolita the Killer Whale Is Not an Option
Lolita is a Southern Resident killer whale who was believed to have been born in 1966 to the Southern Resident orca population. She was collected on August 8, 1970 off the coast of Penn Cove, Washington where she was kept in a pen-based facility for about a month before she was sent to Miami Seaquarium in Key Biscayne, FL. There, she spent the first ten years of her life at the facility with a male orca named Hugo, who was believed to have come from the same pod as she did, until his death in 1980. She has been the only orca in its care since. Today, she currently resides at the facility with four Pacific white sided dolphins, who serve as her companions, and is one of two living killer whales to have been collected from the Pacific Northwest during the 1960s and 70s. Yet, despite the fact that Lolita continues to thrive at Miami Seaquarium, animal rights extremists want Lolita to be “released” from the only home she has ever known for the last 48 years by putting her in a potentially dangerous “return-to-the-wild” that would be run by those with very little to no expertise in animal care. I am here to explain why freeing Lolita may not be in her best interest.
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
Things to Know About Your Pet's Dental Health
Let's admit it: our pets are cherished members of our family. We buy them the best foods, let them sleep in our beds, and take them on vacations. We fret about their health and are worried sick when they become ill. Then why do so many pet owners neglect our pet's dental health? According to Nationwide, a top provider of pet insurance, 80% of dogs have signs of dental disease by age 3! Many of us know how excruciating a toothache can be, and it is no different for our four-legged friends. However, dogs and cats do not often clearly communicate to us that they are hurting. It is essential to learn how to prevent oral health problems in our pets and recognize when they need veterinary dental care. Keep reading for some tips to keep their pearly whites in top shape.
By Izzy Erlich8 years ago in Petlife
Bred for the Bullet
Cub petting has risen in popularity in recent years due to the increase of social media content containing wild animal encounters, rides, walks, and selfies. Wildlife tourist attractions, WTAs, showcase a range of exotic animals and experiences including cub petting, walking with lions, tiger selfies, and bear feeding. Interactions are often presented as educational and tourists are sometimes told cubs are orphans that have been taken in by the business usually masquerading as a sanctuary. This increased consumer demand for wild animal interaction has provided the perfect opportunity for WTAs to turn their animals into profit centers for a non-stop flow of customers who fuel the photo-tourism industry. Unfortunately, businesses that offer wild animal interactions operate far from the idyllic connotations that the word “sanctuary” implies. Specifically, focusing on young cubs (including lions, tigers, jaguars, bears, leopards), being subjected to the unnecessary human interaction that directly disrupts their right to a natural upbringing, resulting in serious negative consequences for the physical and mental well being of the big cats involved.
By Molly Gill8 years ago in Petlife
Essential Things to Know Before Getting a Dog
Getting a dog can be a really exciting time in your life, however, there are a few things you need to consider before jumping in. These are just a few important things to know when thinking about getting a furry companion, or just trying to decide what kind of dog is the best fit for you and your lifestyle. Then feel free to get a pooch and take as many cute pics of them as possible, make them their own Insta account, and achieve internet fame.
By Chloe Francis8 years ago in Petlife
My Monkey
My boy, my boy, my beautiful boy, how much more love can you give? Always there wagging that tail, with eyes so wide, bright and happy, all just for me. I was your everything, your morning, your evening. You are my everything, my smiles, my laughs, and my heart. I received your blessing of a life at four weeks of age, unbeknownst to me, missing your doggie lessons from mom and her nourishing milk. You were so small, you fit in the palms of my hands, I thought for sure I would smoosh you while I slept, so we went and got you a beddy-bye for on the bed, you loved it. You would curl up in it and I would fall asleep staring at you. Turns out you would never really grow out of it, you'd hide treats and food in it and flip it upside down on top of yourself and we'd play hide and seek. I was lied to about you and I hope all my love negated the rough beginning you had.
By Erin Kerlin8 years ago in Petlife
What Everyone Gets Wrong About Syrian Hamsters As Pets
I don't know about you but when I was young, hamsters (and especially syrian hamsters) were the hot first pet for any child. I remember going through several hamsters, same as most of my friends. They are small, but not as small as mice so you can grab them better. Their cage isn't too big so a child is able to clean them out and they "last" only two years, so in case your kid gets bored or something, you don't have to worry too much.
By Adalia Pride8 years ago in Petlife
The Sweet End to My First Dog
I got my pup Harry when I was four years old from a small puppy store down the street from my house. I loved my Harry. He was a Schnoodle (a schnauzer-poodle mix), and he was adorable. I was the one who picked the little peanut out. I fell in love with him and I got my mom to convince everyone else to come look, and then we got him! Harry got his name because at the time Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone had just came out and my cousins and I were in love with it. We would run around riding on our broomsticks and Harry would bite the ends and ride with us. He was such a good boy, he would let you do anything to him. I wanted to be a veterinarian ever since I was a little girl so I would do little check ups on him and he would sit there for me all day. When I was about seven, my mom bought me a bunny for my birthday, and one thing about Harry was he loved to chase bunnies. So let me just say it took a while for him to get used to Lily! But eventually, he didn't even see her as a bunny, she was just Lily. Then, when I was ten we got another dog named Toby, Harry loved him, he had a brother! They grew up together chasing bunnies, jumping into the pool together, and attacking piñatas! Then I moved out of my family home into an apartment with my mom. I visited all the time but my family wouldn't let me take either of them, so I decided to get my own little pup. I named her Dixie after Darryl Dixon and I would bring her over to visit Harry too. When she was a puppy they loved each other but by the time she grew up they grew apart. At this point in the story I'm a junior in high school and Harry is 13 years old. I remember him having hard times, he was diagnosed with diabetes, bladder stones, kidney stones, arthritis, cataracts, and a lot more. He was dying, and I knew it, but I loved him so much. I would visit him every chance I got. One day, I was at school sitting at my lunch table and my mom texted me and said she was there to pick me up and to come up front. I knew something was wrong, and I gathered my books and started walking out. The whole way there I just felt it in my gut, something was really wrong, and once I saw her I knew. I just remember it was like a movie. Me stopping and just starting to cry. She told me to come here and I remember asking if it was Harry, even though I already knew, and she just nodded. I waited in the car for her to get my cousin and we drove to my grandma's house where he was to say goodbye. My aunt had taken him to the vet earlier that day where he gave Harry some meds for the pain and told her that we could bring him home to say goodbye and bring him back later. We sat for hours with him just petting him and crying with him. We told all the great stories we had with him, and after a while, it was time. Now, because I thought I should and I thought I could handle it, I decided to go with him to be put down. I wanted to be with him. I wanted him to know that he was loved and wouldn't be forgotten. My aunt, my grandpa, my mom and I, all drove to the vet with Harry wrapped in a blanket. I don't know if I can say that I recommend going with your family to this kind of thing if you're not ready to see it. I will never forget what his eyes looked like. How full of life they were one second and the next they were so empty. I was crying harder than I ever had. My aunt kept comforting him, crying, but the vet looked up at my grandpa and just nodded his head. But I already knew he was gone. My aunt kept trying to close his eyes but they wouldn't close. We wrapped him back up in the blanket and took him home and buried him. I told our family friends what happened and my cousin posted on Facebook that we lost our furry family member. The next day I went to school and I got half day alright. But then my friend walked in, and I looked at her and I knew she knew and I just started crying and she just hugged me and I realized I wasn't okay. I realized I lost my first dog, my first pet, my first love. I am able to talk about him today, but if I talk about his last day I'll cry, and that's all right. Because dogs aren't just dogs. They are family.
By Jordyn Beery8 years ago in Petlife
Top Ten LGBT+ Animals
Have you ever heard someone say that being gay isn’t “natural?” Well, I have some bad news for them: nature is gay AF. Our world has numerous examples of animals that change gender, engage in same-sex activity, and throw gender norms out completely. Here’s my top ten animals from across the LGBT+ spectrum.
By Katy Preen8 years ago in Petlife
When Everyone Is Scared of Your Dog
This is Titan, at 90lbs. We live near an elementary school, so every day, at exactly 3 PM, dozens of mothers with strollers and children run by our house. Coincidentally, that is also when he has to go for a walk. While some of you may be looking at his picture and cooing, the mothers who walk with their children seem to see a monster. A guard dog, saliva dripping everywhere, with jaws that could snap their babies' heads off. I can assure them this is not the case; however, they seem to simply 'judge a book by its cover.' Many of you who have 'aggressive' looking dogs are aware of the way a couple may cross the street after seeing you with your canine companion, how a mother may gather her child into her arms and walk in the next direction, the stares, judgemental looks, and questions as to 'why that dog isn't wearing a muzzle.' Most big dogs are giant goofs, scared of pretty much everything, and it's unfortunate that they are perceived in a negative way. However it is understandable; having these dogs by our side 24/7 we know their mannerisms, how loving they are, and how silly they are, unlike the public, who sees a huge, bulky dog walking down the street.
By Astraea GG8 years ago in Petlife
