My Love for Animals.

Recently, I was talking to my brother about owning about 3 breeds of dogs when I eventually have my house, it was a long discussion selecting the breeds, and I could feel the excitement even without owning a land yet.

The relationship between humans and pets has grown a lot in recent years, there is this bond humans have created with pets and we now see them as part of us, this is the reason why we get really hurt when we lose them. I read a post on a friends blog, it was about a dog that passed away. I felt cold reading the post, it reminded me of an experience I had with a dog that was involved in an accident some month ago. The dog cried throughout the night because its lower back was broken and it couldn't move from where it was, the cry woke me up around 2 am and I couldn't sleep till daybreak.

On my way to the farm that morning, the dog was still crying so I went in search of it. I found it and couldn't stand the sight of it, it was crying and I could feel goosebumps. I wish I could do something about it but I couldn't save it, I called someone in the neighborhood to check it before going my way and I couldn't even ask what they did to the dog because I knew it won't survive it.

My love for dogs didn't start today and the experience with my first dog made me feel bad when I see a dog in a bad condition, I was very young but the dog left a print in my heart. It is funny how I don't remember much about that age but I didn't let go of the dog memories.

My mom owned a shop then and the landlord had dogs, his children usually see me running around the dog with a kite. I was so fond of the dogs and whenever they saw me return from school, it was always a different story. As time goes on, their female dog gave birth to two puppies, and they gave me one. The dog became a perfect companion, we were best buddies. My mom didn't like the idea, she is not a fan but as little as I was, I cared for my dog the best way I could.

On a fateful day, I was playing with my brother, and Pepsi, (the dog was named before I got it. I could have given my middle name to it then but the name Pepsi made the dog famous, you will hear kids calling it left and right when we are walking together.)

We were playing in a concrete drainage pipe for a well that evening, the rings were there for a long time because the work was abandoned. Pepsi loves jumping in and out of those rings, he was very playful. I was sitting in the ring while it was running side to side, jumping and wagging its tail.

The ring suddenly moved while I was in it probably because the place has become sloppy, Pepsi actually thought it was part of the play so it wanted to run to the other side when it got hit and stuck, I was able to get out of the ring without a wound but I lost something special. The concrete ring would weigh over 200kg if I am not mistaken, I tried pushing it with my brother but couldn't and there was no adult around.

I ran to my mom's shop which was a few blocks away to seek help and the landlord's children quickly followed me but it was too late, the ring pressed it down and Pepsi's body was what prevented the ring from rolling to cause more damage; he was still less than a year. It could have been me stuck under the ring, it could have flung me out badly but Pepsi did take the hit and I was sad for quite some time.

Whenever I see a concrete ring now, the memory comes fresh. I remembered Pepsi the night when that dog was crying and it was why I couldn't get back to sleep. I had the opportunity to get one at my former apartment but I was scared of losing it at some point again.

I was scared to own one but I developed a special love for pets, whether cat, dog, rabbit, or birds. I am easily attached as long as the animal is cool around me, I enjoy watching them doing silly things. I hope to get not just dogs but cats soon in an environment that would be conducive and safe for them.

Most Nigerians take cats to be an evil animals but my Philippines friends have made me love cats and I hope to own a big one as well. I was in Ogun state some months ago and I saw a cat looking lean and tired, I approached it thinking it would run but it didn't. It came and rubbed its body on my leg, I reached out for it and it allowed me to carry it; I was surprised.

I rubbed it back and felt pity for it but there was nothing I could do, my love for cats grew bigger after that experience as well.

There is an agreement signed that I wouldn't rear a dog in the house where I live so I can't but I will when I move hopefully to my apartment, I intend to own dogs and cats.

Pets are lovely and protective, they are so loyal and wouldn't hurt you as humans would do but one thing that scares me about them is losing it when you are fully into one another. I have admitted the fact that nothing lives forever but it still feels like I lost a part of me after Pepsi's death, so when seeing people attached to their pets, I know what it feels like.

My favorite will always be dogs, those creatures are always irresistible and I will own a good number of them when the time is right. Pets have helped humans physically, mentally, and emotionally, and their impact on us is fantastic when we have a sincere feelings toward them.

Lead image.