The Importance of Having a Pet

You’re probably thinking, why is having a pet important? Are you serious Lacey? Well yes I am so serious. 

I’ve had pets growing up my whole life, I’m used to dogs and fishes. My dad took pride in his fish-tank and taking care of his tropical fishes. It was something for me to watch every morning before school along with BBC News. My uncle had dogs, my brother has dogs. I’m so used to seeing them so when I go to a house and they don’t have pets it’s weird to me. 

My mum loves her dogs like children. My first dog, Bolto, was so loyal. When I think of him my heart swells because he was literally the GOAT. He was protective, beautiful, caring, gentle but with enough bite to not let people close to us. When he died, my heart shattered, I never wanted to love again. I never wanted to own another dog. It’s nearly been 7 years and I remember taking him on his last walk and he fell down. He couldn’t get back up so I sat with him until he was ready. He was so strong so seeing him like this was heart wrenching. 

My mum got another dog, Amari, while Bolto was still with us. So he could show her the ropes basically. She was NOTHING like him. She was giddy, excitable, rowdy - I hated her. She was cute don’t get me wrong but she could never fill the void my Bolto left. I took her on a walk with my mum for the first time, we went on the route I took Bolto for his last walk. This confirmed I hated her and I never wanted to walk her again. I know it’s bad to say you hate a dog when they have done nothing wrong but it was definitely the fact I disliked unfamiliarity. 

Then our other dog, Missy, died. That was sad too but I didn’t feel the same sadness with her. Then mum got another dog, he was soooo ugly. He was funny though, now he’s 5, and he is a menace to society. He is literally a human, you know those dogs that like to do human stuff, that’s him. However, he is worse, he listens to when you’re talking about him, then he will come over and head butt or kick you if it’s something bad. When you ask him for a kiss, depending on who you are, he will go to nibble your face or give you a big kiss. All he does is moan, you will know when you have pissed him off. I do love him but I don’t share the same fondness as I did with Bolto. 

Moving onto present, I have 2 cats. I have never been around cats, I always had the idea they were disgusting. I was petrified of them, their nails were scary, eyes scary, they were unpredictable. So I do know where my brothers are coming from when they come to my house and they refuse to acknowledge my cats. However, I’m trying to get them to warm to my daughters, I often tell them ‘say hello to your nieces’- they are in fact disgusted.

I’m open to everything. My mum thought I was weird when I told her I was getting a cat but she likes animals so she told me to go for it. I went to pick my kitten up from Manchester, I was scared and so was she. She ran under my brake pedal… only my sister could calm her down. I brought her home and she was my first little baby. I loved her so much I wanted a sister for her so I got a black kitty. My Luna, she is so funny and opposite to my Catalina. 

Luna was the healer I never knew I needed. Yes it’s that deep. She has shown me what it is like to love an animal again after I refused when Bolto died. Not only that, their purring is a vibrational frequency that promotes healing in our body, she always seems to lay on my chest when I’m upset and I just love that from an animal. Who says pets don’t have emotional intelligence!?

The importance of having a pet; a lot of responsibilities arise, but most of all, they show you unconditional love. I think that is one of the most important things in life, to love unconditionally and to feel it also. Regardless of how you are, a pet will love you. No judgement, no doubt just straight adoration. You also love your pet the same way, you don’t expect anything from them because you know they love you as you are. 

I definitely think pets teach and show you things about yourself you wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. Even if you don’t get a pet, or don’t agree with keeping them. I think you should love animals as we love each other. After all Pythagoras argued that the soul is an immortal, immaterial entity which transcends and transmigrates into different living creatures. Which gives animals and humans the same spiritual dignity. So who knows, your relative that has passed away could be that same cat that keeps coming on your road.

Take a moment to watch an animal and see how it lives its life. I hope you start to love unconditionally, with every last fibre of your being. 

Written by, Lacey Martin