Latest Stories
Most recently published stories 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
Another Adoption!
Well, since at least some of you have been reading the story about our adoption journey with our little boy, Arno, I felt it fitting to share the journey of adopting his sister. My husband and I have been looking around at animal shelters and humane societies since we moved about 3 weeks ago, because Arno has been a little lonely. Where we lived before, he had an older female cat who, while she didn't like him and was always hissing at him and cuffing him, was feline companionship for him.
By Jessye Gould8 years ago in Petlife
23 Perfect Tattoos for Animal Lovers
A tattoo is not just body art; it's a statement about the kinds of things you love. It adds personality and clues people into the things that matter to you. Of course, there's also the artistic side of tattooing, which means that each tattoo is a celebration of one's own individuality.
By Iggy Paulsen8 years ago in Petlife
Equine College
My first two years at college were for equine science and management. Within these two years, I learned everything from basic nutrition, anatomy, and even breaking and training young horses. I will focus mostly on the breaking and training part in this article. This experience was the first time I had ever broken out a horse on my own. We were kind of prepared, but at the same time, how prepared could you be to have to sit on a confused 1200 lb. animal?
By Autumn Razz8 years ago in Petlife
My Little Pony Apatchie
When I was a child, I had a huge fascination with horses. This could have been due to the fact that aunt and uncle had a horse farm in Milton, Ontario. While growing up I was always told that once I was old enough and big enough, my aunt would teach me to ride. By the time I reached an old enough age, my aunt and uncle could no longer keep the farm or the horses due to medical reasons. Of course, I was so upset; I loved the horses and the country home they had.
By Shae Thompson8 years ago in Petlife
Zoos: Good or Bad?
Animals all over the world are being abused and mistreated. It is unfortunate that there are people that don’t care about said animals. Luckily, there are zoos to help. After reviewing the three sources, "What Zoos Do" by Amy Miller, "Issue Overview: Should We Have Zoos?" by Shayna Owens, and "Lifespan of Female Elements in Zoos and the Wild," you learn about all of the good that zoos in America have done. There are many people who believe that zoos are a reason for this claim, however, in reality, zoos are more beneficial because they make conservation efforts around the world and rescue said animals from abuse.
By Isabella S8 years ago in Petlife
My Favorite Products for Big Dogs
I find that the best brand of toys, leashes, and harnesses to get your big dog are the ones made by Kong! I have a Pitbull mix and she can rip apart any toy you give her in a matter of seconds. It's amazing to watch how she does it, but the mess she makes is awful. Also, if she were to ever ingest any of the cotton or materials from the toys, it could harm her and it will cost a lot of money to take her to the vet. Also, due to the Pitbull breed, she tends to be very strong, so I needed a heavy duty leash and harness for her.
By Shae Thompson8 years ago in Petlife
Why Guinea Pigs Make Fantastic Pets
When planning to get a pet, many people only think about getting either a dog or a cat. These animals are great but have a large amount of baggage that comes with them. They require a large amount of space, which needs to be maintained by the owner. They need to be trained and can wreak havoc on the home if not trained properly. They also require more time spent on them, and can even be potentially dangerous depending on the animal’s early life and natural levels of aggression. People who aren’t prepared for this are likely not to keep the animal, leading to these animals being left in shelters to wait to hopefully be re-adopted, or potentially end up being euthanized by the shelter.
By Rebecca Weiner8 years ago in Petlife
Sad Case of Animal Neglect
What Love Can Do This is a picture of Charlie looking very healthy after a year of lots of love and food. Charlie was rescued by Feline Cat Care Rescue Charity from a cat hoarder who had twenty other cats. Charlie had Feline calicivirus that was left untreated. Because of this, he had trouble eating, leaving him incredibly thin and emaciated. I took one look at him and adopted him. Although I had to wait two months before they would release him. Every Sunday I would spend time with Charlie getting to know him. Even though he was mistreated, he was a loving cat ready to trust again.
By Karen Penn8 years ago in Petlife
The Box Jellyfish. Top Story - June 2018.
Box Jellyfish are very old, surviving for more than 500 million years. One woman named Diana Nyad, known for swimming from Cuba to Florida, was not as successful as she appears. Three of her five attempts were stopped by the horrid sting of the Box Jellyfish. Although she was hospitalized for several weeks, that determined woman fought through the blood-curdling experience of a sting. If you haven’t heard before, the Box Jellyfish are very powerful creatures, leaving you wanting to die.
By Grace Mitchell8 years ago in Petlife
