Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
Dante, The DestRUFFer
The Starbucks drive through line crept slowly forward as I wiped away tears. I had driven over from the animal shelter in defeat as I had failed yet again to adopt a white German Shepherd dog. I had actively been trying to adopt one for over a year from various rescues. After no response from several, one who had already been adopted, and one who said no because “I lacked experience” (I guess you have to have a GSD before your first GSD, even though I had experience with other large breeds), I figured my only options were to scour the city shelters, or to look for a breeder. As I am a firm believer in adopt don’t shop, and as I also didn’t have $5,000 laying around, I opted for the first option.
By Daniela Alejandra4 years ago in Petlife
Finnegan
A couple years ago, I started working at a dog rescue. I still lived with my parents, so the most I ever did was bring dogs home to foster, I knew they wouldn’t be sticking around too long. My mom had set a very strict ‘no more animals in the house’ policy. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of dogs I wanted to bring home for good. I’m a vet tech and animal lover through and through, I would save all of them if I could. But I was doing my best to abide by my mom’s rule, so the fosters typically only stayed overnight and were adopted the next day. Until Chance got off the truck.
By Hannah York 4 years ago in Petlife
The Story of Bo
It’s in his haunted eyes. When I drove to the city an hour away, the anticipation of meeting our new dog was filled with wavering trepidation. There were three sweet beagles available for adoption through the Beagle Rescue: all three cute as a button. They had their stories, their photos, their details pasted on the front page of the website like a dating site. Bo’s face was turned a little to the side, and I could just make out the speckles that identify him as a beagle. His backstory is what sealed the deal for me.
By Barb Dukeman4 years ago in Petlife
Oji
I currently don’t garner a possession of any animals which to an extent is littered with its own unfortunate circumstance. Though I could regale you with a story of a remarkable animal that has made such a massive impact on my life that no other animal could fill his shoes. In some cases literally.
By Unabated Lemon4 years ago in Petlife
I Meditate with my Dog
Our dog Josie does not like thunderstorms. That’s true for a lot of pups, I know, and there are myriad ways we all try to help our dogs weather the storm (hehehe). There are the Thundershirts®, a snug fitting stretch shell jacket that gives the dog a cozy, secure feeling. We’ve put Josie in her crate (after my lap, her second favorite hang-out) and covered it with a blanket to make it safe and den-like. That works, a little. Sometimes.
By David Louis Stanley4 years ago in Petlife
JIN
I had a golden retriever, he is very cute and smart.He was only one month old when he first arrived at our house. I named him "Xiao Jin" because his hair is golden and beautiful in the sun. I have always been responsible for taking care of him, feeding him, taking him, and going for a walk every day. He, I was only 12 years old when I first arrived at our house, and I had to get up at 5:30 in the morning and take him for a walk. When I came back from a walk, I had to hurry to school. The first thing you do when you come back from school at night is to take him out to play for a while. I bathed him and asked him to understand my instructions. Soon, he could fully understand some simple instructions such as "handshake" and "sit down". I think he is really the smartest puppy. He even helps us retrieve the newspapers that we subscribe to every morning. He knows the way home and will greet me at the door when I get home from school. I think He must like me as much as I like him, and I will allow him to sleep in my bed after he takes a shower (this is something my mother totally does not allow). At that time, because of my academic pressure, I often quarreled with my parents. We even didn’t communicate at all for a while. At that time, as long as I was unhappy or angry, I would shut myself in the room and cry secretly. Every time Xiao Jin He was lying next to me, he couldn't speak, but I knew he was accompanying me to comfort me.
By Liu Weijia4 years ago in Petlife
DogGone
I don’t know what I would have done if I had been there. I would not have been able to stop it, change anything, or save her. If someone has the ability to stay Death’s hand, it certainly is not me. In all likelihood, I would have beat myself up for not noticing the changes in her behavior as she rapidly grew weaker. So why did I feel so much resentment? Why did I hate myself for not being able to help her from 440 miles away? But most of all, why did I know something was wrong that sweltering June evening despite so vast a distance between us?
By Mason Wulbrecht4 years ago in Petlife
The Freedom of Working from Home
Sometimes it’s not the job that helps you impact the world, but sometimes it helps. Five months ago, I was working a job that was financially fulfilling, but emotionally draining. The ratio was no longer tolerable for me. I won’t go deep into it, but in the middle of a pandemic and at a time when my faith in my employer’s morality was at an all-time low, they announced our pay cuts. The lower pay rate was scheduled to begin on my first day back from a week’s vacation. I never came back from that vacation.
By Tales from a Madman4 years ago in Petlife
Rules of Human Servitude from Your Feline Overlords
The relationship between humans and felines has spanned millennia. Cats have been domesticated as far back as 7500 BC and were venerated and protected by the ancient Egyptians. Humans have tried, somewhat successfully, to tame the Felis Catus while being blissfully unaware that they were actually the ones being tamed. You do not “train a cat”; a cat trains you. At the behest of Her Highness, I have transcribed from “Rules of Human Servitude from Your Feline Overlords” as dictated by Abigail, Princess of the House of Holmes. Apparently, the text is a 4 volume section of the 5th-century penal code, penned by Sir Catalad and written into law by King Arthur. Personally, I think my cat made it up.
By Cathy holmes4 years ago in Petlife
Followed by a Moonshadow
Moonshadow entered my life in the midst of a traumatic pandemic. I was lonely, and looking for my first furry friend as an adult. My family hadn't had a cat in three years, and after discussing with my dad, my mom and I finally convinced him to let a cat into our lives once again. So, I went looking for my cat. It wasn't easy. Cats were popular in these days of quarantine, and I wanted to find a cat that could spend years with me happily. A few weeks later, the rescue shelter called me and recommended a stout and tiny black cat with a white patch on her belly named Big Shadow. She follows the foster family around, like her namesake, and she was mother to three kittens. My witchy senses tingled and knew that this was my cat. The foster family was kind to discuss her demeanour with me, and next thing you know, I was picking her up to bring her home. From the first day, she was curious about her surroundings and eager to connect with me. We were soon fast friends. While I was researching how to adopt her, the song "Moonshadow" by Cat Stevens played, and I thought that would be the perfect name for her. She does follow me around like a Moonshadow. Staying at home from work also allowed me to forge a strong connection with her, and I soon became her chosen human.
By Gabrielle Cote4 years ago in Petlife
