After thinking about it, I decided that instead of a trip to see the mouse I wanted a dog. I figure for about the same price I can have a friend for the next 10 years.
Enter Diesel, 9 month old lab/pit mix that is the gentlest soul in the world. Big black ball of fur who enjoys long walks, sniffing everything and belly rubs.
Unlike Yoda, he likes to give kisses and loves to show everyone around him just how much he loves to be in his forever home.
All of our animals, save Liberty, have all been rescues. I think it is so important to give animals a second chance at life with people who love them rather than disposing of them!
Buzz, our cat came into our lives when we lived in Santa Monica. We never wanted a cat but when he came scratching at our window one Thanksgiving night, we knew we had to take care of him. He was a big fat white cat with beautiful green eyes that would plop on your feet when you came in the room and expect you to rub his belly. He did this for everyone without fail except for his previous owner to whom he would only hiss to. He would lay in your arms like you would hold a baby and let you rub his belly for hours on end. When we said good bye to him it was the hardest and saddest thing that JJ and I have ever done. Felix, when he was about 1, looked at this exact picture of Buzz, pointed at it and said "Mommy, that's me!" I was stunned. We had never talked about Buzz before but there he was saying that he was our old friend Buzz. I am not sure if I believe him but two years later those words still haunt me!
Yoda, I found across the street from where we lived in Culver City. I was coming home from work walking with my hands full of grocery bags and saw her walking all by herself. She looked lost and I felt bad for her so I crossed the street, dropped my bags and coaxed her into coming to me, which she did. I looked for a tag but found none. The collar that was around her neck looked like someone's old black belt, that had just been placed on her, it was ill fitting and it broke my heart! I brought her home and after a call to the pound and to my husband, she spent the night. In the midst of waiting for the people from the pound and the Christmas preparations, JJ and I fell in love with her. When the pound called me the next day I told them that I was keeping her. She was our loyal friend and companion for six years. She was by my side when I was up in the middle of the night when I was pregnant with Felix. When we were in the birthing pool she wasn't too far away, keeping a watchful eye on what was going on. Coming home from the hospital with Felix and introducing him to her was awesome. Later when he would cry and I didn't react quickly enough she would jump up on me and look at me with a look that said "why aren't you doing something to help him?". When Felix took his first steps she was sitting right there watching him. So when I found her last April, dead on the couch, it broke my heart. Gone was my constant companion who I shared so much with. Tho she left us far too quickly I am glad that she passed away peacefully in her sleep.
Diesel, we adopted from a rescue organization in Torrance. Unlike Buzz and Yoda we know his story. He was adopted by a man out of a shelter and when he realized how much work was involved he relinquished him to the rescue organization where he was fostered by a couple who had 7 dogs of their own. All things considered he hasn't had a bad life so far! I look forward to many a moment with him. In the mean time I have to go walk my big boy before he explodes!
How about you, how did you get your pet?
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