Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
The True Love Story That Has Left Me Forever Changed
I never thought that my heart would be strong enough to welcome another dog into my life after my nearly 14-year-old female German Shepherd, Egypt, died on July 5, 2018 after many months of watching her body fall apart and her quality of life deteriorate, first slowly then unbearable quickly it felt. Losing her was the hardest experience of my life. It's hard for a lot of people to understand, but I grieved for her so intensely that it effected my health, mentally as well as physically. I felt irrevocably changed to my core. She and I had been through an INCREDIBLE life story together. For years, she was my ONLY companion and those years of self-isolation in California with Egypt are some of my most cherished memories. She was my soul mate and taught me how to love. Her infirnment period lasted about 9 months. Those were both the longest and the shortest 9 months of my life. I was forced to grapple with intensely raw emotions on a daily basis, unlike any I ever thought I'd have to face. Each day my only goal was to try and love her as well as she had always made me feel loved. Her body was betraying her, but her mind was as sharp as it had always been and her pure black coat was as shiny and solid black as when she was a pup. She never even went grey, except for a few hairs between the toes of her paws. But I watched helplessly as her hind legs started to weaken. I started with just shortening her walks. Then, about four or five months before her death, I decided that allowing her to navigate the stairs in my house were too dangerous after she stumbled mid-flight while attempting to walk upstairs. She crouched down in the middle of the stairs and whined in fear. My heart ached for her. She had always been so proud and strong. My guardian Angel, my rock, my soul-mate, my peace, my joy. She never complained, never whined, never begged... not even as her hind legs slowly, then quickly, became paralyzed by Degenerative Myelopathy... she was strong and brave. I lived for those moments when I was blessed with her expressions of joy. Happily panting in the yard on a perfect Spring day, the sight of her tail wagging as she remained laying on her bed as I brought her the homemade food I had started preparing her in an attempt to slow her disease progression (which amazingly, did result in a slight improvement to her mobility for a joyous couple of months right before her legs seemed to go out completely) I convinced myself that her agility was better on some days than others. I told myself that if I loved her well enough, by making her healthy food, talking to her, and surrounding her with nature whenever possible, then she wouldn't be so distressed by a body that she was steadily losing control of. But I'd often catch
By A.C. Magwood5 years ago in Petlife
On the Origins of the 'Dangerous Wild Animals Act' of 1976 – PART II (Those Who Forget History are Destined to Relive it)
To re-cap, this piece of legislation is of particular interest to the folk who research and study the subject of big cats in Britain; for it is considered by many to be the very bedrock of the phenomenon - a notion I personally dispute, yet have already partially explored and written about other hypotheses (Whittard, 2020b), but that said, I cannot deny its significance.
By Tim Whittard5 years ago in Petlife
So you want to get a Guinea pig
Guinea pigs also known as Cavia Porcellus are rambunctious little creatures. With their squeaks,squeals, and purring whats not to love about them. Yes, with all this cuteness you’d assume they are simple animals to take care of. They are not, as amazing as they are you should really do all the research that you can over them. I have two of these energetic little guys right now and they keep me on my toes.
By Lavinia Guadalupe5 years ago in Petlife
Free Pearl.
Every time I came home, you loved me. Your sights weren't as clear as they had once been; age and being left out, despite loyalty, weathered you vulnerable. There was still excitement in your leaps and bounds, your rugged pants as you leapt inevitably towards some kind of Heaven on Earth. I was your snack-sourcing belly-rubber. But I held extended my arms with timidity, excusing myself to a box in your life too. You had loyalty so unconditional, I wondered if you could remember resentments at all. How much time did it ever take you to forgive? We thought change was better than staying inside. We left you out in the cold too many times.
By A.I. Reads5 years ago in Petlife
A Christmas Puppy
A puppy for Christmas could be the most awesome gift a family could get. It can also be a nightmare. Funny thing about puppies, they grow up. That cute little puppy is now a full-size adult dog. Did you consider the food the dog will eat? How about the vet bills for the dog? Will you train your puppy yourself or take classes with your dog? Yes, you take classes with your dog.
By Al Russell5 years ago in Petlife
❤️Saving Bella❤️
It's story time, so grab a seat as I tell you about what our little rescue has been up to over the last 24 hours...🥰...Last night, someone sent me a post about a black lab who had been living, out in the open, all by herself, at a busy intersection in Savannah, Ga for the past 2 WEEKS...😲...People had been driving by her every day, but no one was willing to help her, which is not surprising considering that it is estimated there are 1 MILLION stray dogs living within the city limits...😔...Anyway, we went to work trying to arrange pickup for this sweet baby and we succeeded...🤗...We didn't know if we would be able to catch this dog, but we were determined to try...So this morning at around 11:30 CT one of our volunteers went to look for this girl and found her right near where she has been spotted for the past 2 weeks...She was sleeping next to a fence in the shade, with a leash TIED so tightly around her neck, that our volunteer couldn't even slip his finder underneath it...😫...The leash was tied in such a way that I suspect someone dumped her and had tied her to something while she awaited her fate, but somehow she managed to free herself...😞...Anyway, our volunteer easily caught the dog by stepping on her leash and much to our delight, she willingly followed him to his car, where he offered her some food and water...She did not eat or drink, probably because she was stressed, but she willingly allowed him to pick her up and load her into his car...❤️...Once she was settled on a cozy bed, our volunteer headed west and met another one of our volunteers, who drove her the rest of the way to our vet...😘...This sweet girl rode beautifully for the whole 3.5 hour ride, resting quietly on the seat and occasionally looking out the window...She is a bit timid, but very engaging and is already starting to relax...❤️...We've named this beautiful girl Bella...❤️...Bella has now been seen by the vet and has been found to be HW+, extremely sweet and showed absolutely no aggression during her veterinary exam...❤️...Bella is very thin, which is no surprise after being on the street for at least 2 weeks and is estimated to be 1-2 years old ...She currently weighs 45 lbs, but should weigh about 50-55 lbs...Bella’s skin is a mess, so she will be put on antibiotics for that, she's been given bordetella and canine influenza vaccines and will have her other vaccines in a day or two...HW treament has been started and tomorrow she will have a nice, soothing bath...Bella is now in the process of getting settled into a lovely kennel with tons of blankets and TLC from the staff...I can't tell you how happy I am that we were able to help Bella...The fact that she survived for 2 weeks on a busy intersection in a major city tells me that this sweet girl has poise, intelligence and grace...❤️ ...Thank you so much to our volunteers for bringing our girl to safety and to the poster for caring enough to share Bella’s plight...😘...We could not save these precious souls without your help on the front lines...❤️...Sleep well tonight, knowing that you played a major part saving the life of a very sweet dog who was in dire need...❤️
By CeeCee Kennedy5 years ago in Petlife
Tips To Improve Your Dog's Life
As a pet owner, it's your job to make sure your dog has the most happy and healthy life possible. However, it's not always easy to know what your dog wants or how to provide the best care for them. Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to help ensure your furry friend stays healthy and happy at all times.
By Dennis McKonkie5 years ago in Petlife
Making your home puppy proof
1.Puppy-proofing Your Home It’s impossible to provide constant supervision for your energetic, curious pup, so it’s important to prepare your home before letting him loose in it. Secure electrical cords and move potentially toxic plants or substances, such as cleaning supplies and insecticides, out of reach. It’s a good idea to crawl through your home to get a puppy’s-eye view of his surroundings. Remove anything he might be tempted to chew or swallow, and close off vents, pet doors or any other openings that might allow him to become lost or stuck. Not only will this help keep him safe, it will also ease your anxiety that your new pup is lost.
By The Puppy Life5 years ago in Petlife
Movie Review: 'Call of the Wild'
Call of the Wild is a movie without a country. By that I mean that I am not sure who this movie was made for. It’s not really a kids movie, though it is rated PG. It’s certainly not a sophisticated movie for adults either. Call of the Wild is far too old fashioned for kids to enjoy and it is far too clumsy and hokey for adults. Then, there is Buck the Dog, the star of Call of the Wild, an unruly CGI creation that looks shockingly unrealistic and robs the film of whatever minor charm remains.
By Sean Patrick5 years ago in Petlife
