MY LIFE WITH MY PETS: LOVE FOR MY PETS
September 23, 2024
When I was young, I didn’t really like pets. Dogs, cats, or any other animals didn’t appeal to me at all. However, everything changed when my parents decided to renovate our second house, which we weren’t living in at the time. They had just bought it, and to my surprise, there were two dogs already living there—a male and a female.
At that time, I was in sixth grade and only 12 years old. My brother quickly became their favorite, feeding them day and night and playing with them. Unfortunately, the dogs didn’t warm up to me at all. They seemed to only recognize my brother, and every time I entered the house, especially in the dark, they would growl and bark, making me feel unwelcome.
One night, while the female dog was pregnant, I walked into the house and, once again, was met with aggressive barks. In my fear, I grabbed a piece of wood for protection as she lunged toward me. I called for my mother, who, in a panic, told me to confront the dog. Terrified, I ran towards her instead, and thankfully, the dog stopped.
That night was sleepless for me, but I eventually fell asleep, and when morning came, I felt an unexpected urge to find the female dog. I sat down near her, and to my surprise, she slowly approached me, mirroring my actions. When I reached out to touch her, she growled, but I tried again. This time, she allowed me to pat her head, and from that moment on, my perspective on animals shifted completely.
The male dog soon followed suit and warmed up to me as well, perhaps sensing that his partner had accepted me. A few days later, the female dog gave birth to two adorable puppies—a male and a female. She let me hold them gently, and from that day on, I became their caretaker.
Sadly, after several years, the time came when my mother decided it was time for the dogs to leave our house. The male dog was given to a tricycle driver, the female dog went to a random person, and the two puppies were given to a friend of my cousin. I felt heartbroken as I searched for them day and night, but there was nothing I could do since my mother had made the decision.
Years later, one of our neighbors had a dog named Cindy. She was a tiny creature that resembled a hotdog but was terrified of people. I struggled to connect with her, as she would always hide. Eventually, I decided to give her to my cousin, who lived just a few steps away. It was another sad moment for me, losing yet another pet.
After a while, I got a cat named Caerul. He was cute and mischievous, but sometimes his claws hurt! Despite that, he felt perfect to me. For a year, my brother, mother, and I took care of him. But one day, he simply left and never returned. We later learned that he had passed away, and I felt the weight of sadness for an entire year.
Since then, I’ve had a few more pets, but each one seemed to slip away, either because my mother took charge of their care or they wandered off on their own. My experiences with my fur babies have been a rollercoaster of joy and heartache, teaching me the true meaning of love and loss in the world of pets.
But my journey with animals didn’t end there. In 2021, we welcomed Coco, our first Shih Tzu. We took great care of him, and a year later, my father decided to surprise my mother with another Shih Tzu for Valentine’s Day—February 14. He named her Heart, believing it suited her perfectly for the day of love.
We lovingly took care of both Coco and Heart, enjoying playtime together. They were quite different, though; Coco was wary of strangers, while Heart adored everyone. Then, in 2023, Heart gave birth to five adorable puppies, and we dedicated ourselves to caring for them.
However, our happiness was short-lived. After New Year’s, we faced heartbreak when one of the puppies—the fifth one—tragically died, possibly due to the stress of the fireworks that night. We refused to let that sorrow consume us and continued to care for the remaining pups. But one by one, they succumbed to illness. First, the fifth puppy died, followed by the third. A few months later, the remaining four fell ill with a disease called parvovirus. It was devastating for our family, especially for my mother, who tirelessly searched for ways to help them heal. Unfortunately, luck was not on our side, and we lost them all. The only survivor was Heart, who remained strong throughout this ordeal.
During this time, we discovered that Heart was pregnant, as she had gotten outside and mated with another dog. When her labor day finally arrived, she gave birth to another five healthy puppies, each inheriting her wonderful traits. Despite the joy they brought us, we knew we couldn’t bear the pain of losing more pets. So, we made the difficult decision to give all four of her new puppies to our relatives. We were relieved to know they were healthy and happy in their new homes.
As of September 23, 2024, Heart and one of her puppies are still with us, alive and well. Our journey with animals has taught us about love, loss, and the strength that comes from caring for others. Though we’ve faced heartache, the joy of having Heart and Coco in our lives continues to bring us happiness.
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