Donna over at Quiet Life asked readers to tell about our animals. If there's one thing we have plenty of in this family, it's pets. Somehow we have become the central adoption center for all unwanted pets within a fifty-mile radius. Currently in our pet-friendly family, we are home to:~Three goats
~Seven rats
~Three turtles
~An indoor cat
~Seven outdoor cats
~A dozen or so chickens
~An iguana
~A potbellied pig
~Two rabbits
~A parakeet
~And five dogs, four of whom have been rescued from less-than-happy homes.
Our latest adoptee is a sweet five-year-old female Jack Russell Terrier named Scarlett who isn't quite sure about the housetraining thing yet. She's doing well, has taken wonderfully to her crate and understands the use of the dog door, but she was apparently given her former house as her potty or was kept inside/locked up for extended periods, because she seems to think that rugs and other soft objects are her private potty places. Thank goodness for hardwood floors, and she is, indeed, getting much better. And I think, after work and training, she will be a wonderful friend.
Our animals are part of our family. We welcome them, protect them, enjoy them and include them. Wherever there is a child, you will see an animal close behind: a cat wandering along the path or stretching out on a lap; a dog bounding along beside a bicycle or a sled or a group of explorers; a rabbit or chicken in the arms of a visitor; baby animals surprising us on a Spring morning. Animals are part of our education. They add discipline to our days and compassion to our hearts. They enrich our lives.
What role do animals play in your life?
