Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
Coco
Thirteen years ago I was 23 and leaving yet another bad relationship. I had been living in a basement apartment, partying too much, and putting too little of effort into anything of substance. I was lost. I had attended teacher’s college because I couldn’t figure out what else there was to do with a degree in English. I was still waitressing in a town too small for the egos it held with people too small to accept anything beyond their narrative. I had lived there for a year; eight months of which I was a twenty hour bus ride away, “learning.” I supply taught occasionally, when I felt like it and when the bank account was getting low.
By Vicki Cloutier5 years ago in Petlife
Pepe the Magnificent
Pepe was the first rescue kitten I had ever brought into my life. I suppose one could say all my cats were rescues, but until I found Pepe at an animal shelter, all my previous cats had been given to me by friends or acquaintances. He was also the first cat I chose to bring home when I already had a cat. Luna wasn’t yet a year old when I thought I should find her a playmate. I had a roommate at the time and she also had a cat, but hers was around 14 years old. Her cat’s name was Cat. There is a story behind this, but it isn’t mine to tell. Cat tolerated Luna. My roommate and I were glad they mostly got along, but Luna wanted to play and Cat wasn’t too keen to play with her. This sent me on a quest to find her a playmate.
By Tom Stasio5 years ago in Petlife
One Cat, Two Cat, Three Cat, Four.....
When I meet new people, I often get asked if I have kids and the response of “no” gets me plenty of odd looks to begin with given my age. Somehow it seems a social imperative that if you are above 35 and don’t have kids, there is something amiss. I am usually met with even more speculation depending on the audience when I say that I have “furry kids” instead. Most people accept this with a smile and ask if I have a dog or a cat. When the full list of the animals is finally shared, some either find it charming or so odd they don’t talk to me again. I accept this..its my life and I choose to live it this way. I wouldn’t trade it.
By Christina Parkinson5 years ago in Petlife
To the uncaring
I don’t remember the last time I saw Shelly, but I have many other memories of her, both good and bad. She was half beagle half golden retriever, and her golden brown coat glowed promising an innocence that did not align with her personality. It was beyond mischief, but a desperate and savage will to survive. I remember hearing that she was the runt of a pack of six or seven, which made sense because she was constantly trying to prove herself amongst the ranks of our family. She would try to push around my brother and I, but we were able to outdo her when we worked together. There’s a distinct memory of my little sister crying in the corner while the dog was trying to bully her out of her territory. She was like that with territory, even when she was trained she would hold in her urine until she got home to remind us that she lived here too, and my father reprimanded her to remind her that he knows that already.
By Moses F. Merino5 years ago in Petlife
Accidental Adoption
It was mid-October in Michigan, and I was visiting my family from South Carolina. I hadn’t been home in awhile, and my youngest brother, Max’s, 13th birthday was coming up. My mom and I were sitting in the living room, with a glass of wine, trying to come up with a fun surprise for a 13 year old boy.
By Danielle Hein5 years ago in Petlife
My dog wears shoes
Zoe is part border collie, part shar-pei, and part bull terrier. I was told by the service dog organization that they were going to find a dog to train for me and asked me if I wanted to be part of picking one out. We met at the animal shelter, and began our search. We looked for about an hour and a half, and after interacting with several dogs, we had not found one that we felt was right. As we were leaving, one of the volunteers said they had a puppy that was brought back to them by a so called service dog trainer that said she was not right for their program.
By Steven Crane Sr5 years ago in Petlife
Who rescued who?
To say that I’m an animal lover would be a drastic understatement. Growing up in a large family, the oldest of five kids, meant our house always felt a bit like a zoo. Add in our bunnies, kittens, and rescue pups- and we probably could have charged admission. I don’t remember a time in my adolescence where we didn’t have at least one loveable fur baby to dote on.
By Danielle Hein5 years ago in Petlife
Fork in the Road
This is a tale of how two souls from different worlds came to be one soul family, one of the human race and one of the canine race. It would take great heartache from both of their past to bring them together. As fate will have it, a girl and her four-legged girl furriend would have to take a leap of faith to find their second chance in life.
By Raquel Valdez5 years ago in Petlife
