Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
Cleo the Elder’s Wisdom
I adopted Cleo at the beginning of March this year. She’s got a graceful little scurrying trot and a slight underbite that gives her a crooked smile. She has glassy eyes full of expression that seem to peer into your soul and a white spot on the back of her neck with little grey feet that make her look like she’s always wearing socks. She doesn’t play fetch, or care for chew toys and rarely ever barks. Maybe I’m biased, but I lucked out.
By Valerie Good5 years ago in Petlife
A New Home for Singapore's Stray Cats
Samuel Chua grew up playing with stray cats. “In public housing in Singapore, it’s illegal to keep a cat,” he said, “So if I wanted a pet, I had to play with the cats that lived in the common areas around our building.” Many Singaporeans today still live in soaring, high-density apartment buildings where pets are not allowed. “This is why people come here,” said Sam.
By Liz Sinclair5 years ago in Petlife
I rescued my human
When it comes to pet rescue, I feel it was my pets that rescued me. Growing up, we always had many dogs; my family and I raised many dogs. And growing up, I never really understood the difference between having a puppy or rescuing one. My little pack has been created with time. Every one of my pets has touched me in a way that I could not say to. They looked at me in a way that said helped me. My pack consists of 4 dogs and a cat. But it first started with two Chihuahuas Wako and Coco. These two little ones showed me what it means to have unconditional love. When I reached out for a helping hand, I found their paws. I learned to push myself to survive anything and found the motivation to be a better person.
By Elle Solano5 years ago in Petlife
Horse Breeds
Do you know your Suffolk Punch from your Clydesdale, and can you tell a Cleveland Bay from a Thoroughbred? To the untrained eye, many horses can look quite alike. But, while all domestic horses and ponies belong to the same species — Equus ferus caballus — there are many hundreds of different breeds, all of which have their own unique physical characteristics and temperaments.The sheer number of different kinds of horses and ponies can be overwhelming, even for equestrian enthusiasts. So, to help you brush up on your knowledge, we’ve put together a list of common horse breeds that you’re likely to come across in the UK, along with some facts about the size, traits, origins, and common uses of each type. We’ll cover:Horse breeds by region.English horse breeds,Scottish horse breeds,Welsh horse breeds,Irish horse breeds,Endangered and rare horse breeds,How many horse breeds are there?There are thought to well be over 350 breeds of horse in existence around the globe today. However, given that there’s no scientifically accepted definition for what formally constitutes a horse breed, there isn’t an exact number. Plus, new types of horse are always being bred, meaning that the overall total continues to increase by the day.While the definition is somewhat vague, it’s generally accepted that a breed is a type of horse that displays distinct true-breeding characteristics over several generations. There are a number of societies that protect and promote each one, to help ensure that standards for each type of horse remain consistent. The bloodlines of certain horse breeds are also recorded in General Stud Books, which help breeders ensure that their animals are of true purebred heritage.Some breeds have stricter rules about what does and doesn’t constitute a purebred. For example, certain breeds — including Thoroughbred horses — can only be considered a true example if they possess a very narrow set of characteristics. However, for other types of breeds where the pedigree is less important, the definition of what constitutes a purebred can be much broader and more variable.The reason there are so many breeds is all to do with the history of horses as working animals. Over thousands of years, people have selectively bred horses and ponies to emphasise traits that make them well-suited to different kinds of work, from farming and industry, to sport and leisure. Many breeds are also deeply rooted in the area where they are bred, with characteristics that help them to thrive in certain landscapes and weather conditions — you can learn more about this in our horse breeds by region section.As a result of years selective breeding, horses are quite a unique animal in terms of the sheer variety between different breeds. For instance, how many other animal subspecies boast a size difference quite like that between a Shire horse and a Shetland pony? The incredible versatility and variety of horses is one of the many reasons that these creatures have remained our constant companions throughout the centuries.Horse breeds by region.While many horses and ponies are selectively bred with the intention of making them more suitable for a particular kind of work or sport, the landscape and climate that they are bred in can also greatly influence their physical characteristics. As a result, horse breeds are often closely tied to the place where they first originated. Many are even named after the place where the breed was first established.In this guide, you’ll find information about a number of the most popular and well-known horse breeds from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Given the huge number of different horse breeds out there, it’s important to note that this guide is by no means exhaustive. However, you will find most of the most common horse breeds that you’re likely to encounter in the UK and Ireland.If you’re looking to buy a horse or pony of your own, then this guide is a great place to begin your research, especially if you’re still making up your mind about what size horse you will need, and which type will best suit your needs and lifestyle.Cleveland Bay Horse.Physical appearance: The Cleveland Bay has a large head with a convex face, a long strong neck, sloping shoulders, clean legs, and powerful hindquarters. They have a very handsome, noble appearance.Permitted colours: A rich bay colour (hence the name). Some Cleveland Bays also have a white marking on the forehead.Characteristics and uses: The Cleveland Bay is one of the oldest known English horse breeds, and was originally used for agriculture and pulling coaches. Over the years, Thoroughbred blood was introduced to the breed, and the Cleveland Bay became a competitive sport horse. They’re now quite a popular horse for all kinds of sports, especially showjumping and hunting.Cleveland Bays are also sometimes used at state occasions and royal celebrations, no doubt thanks to their powerful, handsome appearance and beautiful bay colouring. They generally have a calm, sensible disposition.Dale Pony.Physical appearance: The Dale pony is small in stature with a strong neck, broad chest, long sloping shoulders, and strong hindquarters and legs. They usually possess silky feathered legs and thick, shaggy manes and tails that make them hardy enough to stand the unforgiving climate of the Dales. They are closely related to the Fell pony, which is a little more pony-like in terms of build.Permitted colours: Black and brown are common, but bay, brown, and sometimes even grey or roan may be permitted.Characteristics and uses: These plucky ponies are brave, docile, calm, and hard-working, all characteristics that make them very suitable as family ponies. They possess enough stamina and power to excel at trekking and long-distance riding, but can also make fine jumpers, too.Dartmoor Pony.
By Zarinabanu Zarinabanu5 years ago in Petlife
Twenty-Five Dollars
Oh man, do I ever have a story to tell about my cat named Steve. We always had a strict no-pet policy growing up. Gerbil? Nope. Cat? Nope. Dog? Nope. We did have a few pet fish in a large tank for a while until they all somehow mysteriously died. My stepfather was not a fan of animals unless they could be outside on the farm.
By Chloe Rose Violet 🌹5 years ago in Petlife
Maggie
13 years ago I followed my dad into a door. Behind this door there were multiple dogs of all ages barking and crying. They wanted to be adopted and have their own home. They wanted to be loved by someone that would care for them and become their best friend.
By Alicia Lenea5 years ago in Petlife
Remembering the Best Boy
There is a comic that goes around Facebook quite often that sees Death coming to take a dog. The dog asks if he was a good boy, to which Death says he was the best boy. This comic always makes me think of one dog in particular that I have had the joy of knowing during my life. That good boy was my dog Shep, who literally just wandered into my life one day and made my life ever so much brighter just by his presence.
By Kathryn Dragoste5 years ago in Petlife
Mačka
"Damnit," Ryan wined, tossing his hand out the window, "the road is blocked." We had been driving down the back roads outside Zagreb for nearly two hours in hopes of spotting an old Spomenik when our GPS routed us to a bridge that was occupied for a war ceremony. Men in military attire stood upright like tight, plastic dolls, holding one hand to their forehead and the other on an assault rifle. Cars pulled off to the side, waiting in one long line.
By Taylor Haught5 years ago in Petlife
Snow Flake
I was coming home from a snack run to the store at the beginning of winter. I wasn't sure why at first but I had suddenly gotten a craving for a specific type of candy (I think it was Skittles) and just had to go to the store and get some. As I got home and the snow started falling harder I heard the sound of a cat meowing. It sounded sad and I began looking around. I missed it at first as the cat's white fur blended in with the snow. As it came towards me I could spotted the movements and I knelt down to wait patiently for it to decide if I was worth coming to. It hardly needed any coaxing though as it climbed right into my arms seeking warmth.
By KLMillward5 years ago in Petlife
The Great Cat Burgle
Reading the title, one might think I misspelled burglar and I am about to tell the tale of a marvelous thieve. There is, in fact, some truth to that, but not in the way one would think. I have two amazing beasts, or rather the two cats have me. I believe once upon a time, both these little love bugs had owners, but they were not doing their job. Technically, I stole them and I never looked back. I never kept the cats against their will they could come and go whenever they wanted. Funny, they decided to stay with me, food and a warm couch and a lot of attention will do that.
By Katie L. Oswald (BookDragon)5 years ago in Petlife
