Everyone makes mistakes when they’re little. It’s how we learned and grew as people, no one can get everything right on the first try. This is especially true when it comes to new pet owners, or raising an animal in general. When you’re taking care of a pet for the first time there’s always something new to learn. There are plenty of mistakes to be had when it comes to caring for an animal, like thinking a hamster is sick when it’s just sleeping a lot because they’re actually nocturnal. Or the most heartbreaking mistake, losing a pet. When a child loses a pet sometimes parents lie so that their child doesn’t feel bad. Which is understandable, but it can hurt more when that child finds out the truth on their own.
When I was in sixth grade I had a black and white cat
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named Oreo. I’d gotten Oreo from a good friend of mine who had a barn full of cats and wanted to get rid of a few. I loved Oreo a lot and Oreo liked to go outside all the time.
The only problem with that was that he was an inside cat, we didn’t want something bad to happen to him since we lived near a road and some aggressive neighbors that weren’t very kind to cats. One day after getting home from school neither of my parents were home and I didn’t realize Oreo was right at the door until I opened it. He bolted as soon as I cracked the door open. I tried to catch him, but he sprinted off into the woods. I was devastated for about three days until I thought I had found him. The cat I found looked just like Oreo, or at least I thought it did. Being an optimistic eleven year old of course I wanted to believe the cat I had in my possession was the cat I had lost. It was fluffy and black and white just like Oreo, but I didn’t notice that the markings were just a little bit different, or that this new cat was actually a little friendlier than my grumpy Oreo. The other thing I didn’t notice was that this cat was a girl. I really wanted to believe that this was my cat until the actual owners came by looking for their cat, they had a poster for her and everything. My parents decided to show them the cat we had found just to be sure. Being eleven years old and
grief stricken with the loss of another cat I threw a fit. I yelled at those people that it wasn’t their cat and that they should go away. My parents weren’t at all pleased with my behavior so after they forced me to give back the cat, whose real name was Mitzy, I got into trouble. Mitzy’s owners, however, were pretty understanding about the whole situation and while I was forgiven I still wasn’t happy. I had lost two cats in a matter of weeks and I’d made a fool of myself in front of complete strangers whose cat I was practically holding hostage. The problem was that I was in denial and never wanted to admit in the first place that it had never been my cat, that Oreo was long gone and I would never see him again. I was young back then and grieving a good friend I had thought I lost. When I found a replacement I had convinced myself that this was the real thing and that I wasn’t just lying to myself. My memory of Oreo was distorted by the arrival of the new cat and my lack of pictures of him. My mind had tricked me and falsified different versions of Oreo, which contributed to my belief that Mitzy had been my lost cat. Because of these things it was hard for me to come to terms with the truth, that it wasn’t my cat and she had a home where she was loved. When it came to being wrong, I had the notion that I was right and it was the fault of my parents for making me believe that it was my cat only to find out that it wasn’t. I was in denial and as Schulz points out in her book I was using it to “screen out unwelcome information to protect ourselves from discomfort, anxiety or trauma” (Schulz, 229). I couldn’t stand the guilt of being that wrong. It was the “allure of certainty” (Schulz) that Schulz mentions in her book, that had me thoroughly convinced it was Oreo, because I knew that if I was wrong and it wasn’t really him than I would have to deal with the grief of losing a beloved pet. Schulz wrote that “when we feel ourselves losing ground in a fight, we often grow more rather than less adamant about our claims- not because we are so sure that we are right, but because we fear that we are not” (Schulz, 179-80). That’s what happened to me, I was so scared of being wrong that I just refused to admit that I made a mistake, because I was scared that of facing the truth that I had lost my cat. In Schulz TED Talk she states that there are three corollaries to thinking we’re infallible and those are “The Ignorance Assumption” (Schulz) I thought I needed to explain to Mitzy’s owners that it wasn’t their cat, “The Idiocy Assumption” (Schulz) I thought they didn’t understand even after I explained, or “The Evil Assumption” (Schulz) they had all the facts and were just being cruel because they could. I experienced all the assumptions when it involved these people, that’s how firm I stood in my own sense of rightness. But the time came when I had to face the truth, after about a day of grief, I finally accepted my wrongness, it felt awful. I was ashamed and embarrassed over the things I had said and done and I wanted to hide forever. But the mistake had been made and it was over, I needed to move on and I did just that. I learned from my mistake, after making that error I actually did some good for the world. If I came across a stray animal, which I did quite a lot, I would take that animal in and care for while I tried to find it’s owner or a new home for it. I didn’t just learn from my mistake, I grew from it. The most important lesson I think I learned from the experience is “if you love something set it free”, I thought I loved the cat I had mistaken for Oreo, but I came to realize her real owners loved her more, It hadn’t been right for me to try and keep her from them. After that experience, though I did end up taking in strays and caring for them. In fact, just recently we found a lost dog and returned her to her owners. It felt good to reunite a pet with their family that time. What I did learn from the process of my error is how to cope with grief. It’s a cycle everyone has to deal with at some point and I learned at an early age that it’s harmful to try and deny that something bad had happened. Without the error I made and the shame I experienced I don’t think I would have helped all the other animals that I did. I gave stray animals a home the way I hoped Oreo had found a new home. If I could go back, I don’t think I’d do anything differently, because without that embarrassing mix-up I’m not sure how I would have turned out today. I learned compassion from my error, and I wouldn’t want to be any other way. Schulz illustrates this perfectly by saying that we see the error “as an obstacle in the path toward truth, or the path itself” (Schulz, 34). My error just so happened to be “the path itself” and I shouldn’t regret taking that path. Of course I agree with Schulz when she explains that going through the process of error shows us how much growing “up” we have to do. Life is about accepting mistakes and growing from them, if we didn’t fall every time we tried to stand then how would we have learned to walk? It’s important to reflect on your mistakes. One of the reasons I choose to look back on all the errors I made is so that they don’t come back to haunt me. If we don’t learn from history then we’re doomed to repeat it afterall. But along with the wise words she gives us I also believe that we should look back on the process of our errors to see not just how much growing we need to do but also how much growing we’ve already done. Find similar mistakes at different points in your life and see how you handle the process again, if you handle it the same way or do something different. If your way of handling the most recent error was constructive instead of more harmful than you’ve grown as a person. In conclusion, I made a painful mistake many years ago by letting my cat get lost and mistaking a similar cat for my own. In a fit of childhood denial and grief, I refused to believe the cat wasn’t mine and got mad at everyone around me. Over the years I learned from my mistake and I have actually helped other animals and lost pets because of it. Looking back on the process of my error has made me realize how much I’ve grown as a person. Schulz text has provided significant insight into the error I made and why I did it. However embarrassing it is to discuss I’m glad I did.
The little girl and Mom saved the puppy from the Puppy Shop, right? Yes, they did save that ONE puppy, but they only added to the fuel of the Puppy mill industry. They could have adopted the same breed of puppy at a local animal shelter or rescue. In fact, the Humane Society estimated that each year, 2.7 million adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States, simply because too many pets come into shelters and too few people consider adoption when looking for a pet (2018). Making it very important to know that the number of euthanized animals could be reduced dramatically if more people adopted pets instead of buying
What makes us who we are? To answer that question we must establish what we are. We are the most advanced generation of human being the world has ever seen. We as a people come up with new innovations and inventions every day that make life easier. It’s fairly easy to get caught up in what we are as a society and just think that who we are as well but, this isn 't the case. Who we are is also known as our personal identity and there are many aspects of this identity, so many in fact that focusing on only a few comprehensive aspects and going into depth on these aspects will provide a coherent view of what goes into making us who we are.
person purchases a puppy, not realizing they are in fact contributing to the horror puppies face in
“That’ll do this batch, Paw.” Announced Earl as he tightened the lid on the last jug of shine for the night’s run. As he added it to the others in the back of his beat up Ford pickup, he glanced over at his sleeping dad haphazardly leaned up against an oak tree, his chest rumbling with a drunken snore. All too often, this was the way their nights played out; Earl would work the stills while Paw would drink until he passed out, leaving him to finish up for the night, but he never complained to his father; he understood what led to his Paw’s nightly search for the bottom of that mason jar. As he climbed into the back of the truck to make sure the delivery was covered and tied down, safe and secure, Earl considered how important this particular run was, the moneys raised that night would be used to pay the land taxes, thus protecting both their homes and their main income, these stills for the next year.
Another reason for adopting not buying is that you can benefit from long-term advice and support. When you buy an animal form a breeder or a pet store, most of the time the advice ends when you walk out the door. Nevertheless, if you adopt or rescue an animal from a shelter, there will be a lifetime of advice, support and guidance on how to bring up and care for your pet. You can go back to them anytime and ask for any help, and they are willing to provide any assistance.
If I were going to be giving an in-home animal welfare audit on the following animals: large and small dog, 3 cats, 2 hamsters, and a goldfish, I would first start off my audit by examining the home and the surroundings of the animals. This would be my first and most obvious observation that would give me a great deal of insight as to if this is going to be a good or a bad audit. I would look at the condition of the floors, the walls, stairs, cabinets, doors, and the overall infrastructure. If there were scratch marks on doors, cabinets, defecation stains in the carpet, or other unordinary signs, I would begin digging deeper into things. I would also examine the outside condition of the house. I would look at what the backyard looked like, if there were outdoor cages/pens, if the grass was missing from parts of the yard that could indicate neglect from being tied outside for too long, and look to see if the outdoor area is maintained properly meaning fencing and landscape. Next I would look into each animal closer.
Being a teenager my mother explained having a pet was a great responsibility somehow I was frustrated she didn’t understand my passion and love for dogs! Nothing in the world would convince her to let us get one. She claimed I can have a turtle if I desperately wanted to have a pet. I couldn’t agree.
I have a love for cats. Ever since I was a teenager I always wished for a cat of my own. When I moved in a three story apartment in California, the Manager of the complex said that cats were allowed in the units. I mentioned to my Aunt at the time that I was searching in the newspapers under advertisements for cats wanted. One cool breezy evening, my Aunt called me and said that a friend of her's named Judy had a cat named Katie who did not get along with her other two cats. So I agreed to meet with Judy to see if I'd love to adopt Katie.
“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win.” People who try will succeed, while people who don't try will not succeed. This is true for me because if I hadn't worked for my snake, I would probably not have her. It took me many years to convince my mom to get me a snake. I wanted one since I was 10. I got my snake when I turned 12 at the Arizona Herpetological society. I have been taking care of 3 dogs, 3 fish, and a lizard. I also babysit my brothers a lot so that contributed. I have worked hard for my snake. I wrote a couple other essays for my mom to get my snake. The battle to get my snake took a while, but I pushed on, and even though my mom doesn't like snakes, she got me one. So I may have won in the end, but I had to lose
"What's wrong with Charlie?" Claire asked as she held out her tiny hands with a motionless gold fish in her palm. "I was just playing with Charlie yesterday, but today he won't play." Claire's parents failed to realize that when their child begged them to buy her a pet, that she knew nothing of how to take care of a simple gold fish. She didn't understand that fish are not pets to be held or caressed like you would a kitten. This situation occurs more often than most people think. Whether it is a result of an impulsive purchase, emotion, or even a stray animal that you came across, many people do not take into consideration what owning a pet may entail. There is a huge variety of species available, from tarantulas to genetically altered Munchkin cats, with many ways to obtain them. Although not everyone is able to handle a giant spider or endure changing kitty litter, you have to realize you are making a commitment to being responsible for another living being. Even with the wide ranging selection, it is crucial to know how to choose a pet that suits you.
I’m going to write about the day I lost someone most important in my life. John Doe, my dad was a very hardworking person, he never missed a day of work and was always willing to do anything for anyone. He was so energetic always so happy and was rarely mad. I feel blessed that I was raised by a wonderful person like him and hope to follow my dad’s footsteps one day. I would always refer myself as daddy’s girl and for quite a while I don’t know what got into me, but I never seemed to get along with my mom. It was always my dad I wanted to be with. The right words never came across my mind when being around my mom.
I tried to ask for a kitten but David said no (step dad). He told me it was too much responsibility. So I asked my mom, but she said to ask David. So I stomped of to my room, and slammed the door, and asked myself why?
When I was nine years old my grandparents adopted a two year puppy named, maximilian. We, of course, called him Max. When we went to the kennel to pick out a new dog Max didn 't seem like an option. He was a scrawny little puppy tucked in the corner of the shelter. Max was a boisterous springer spaniel mix, and when we first got him he was black and white. Overtime his white fur was masked by black spots, similar to age spots, which made him uniquely mine. Max was suppose to my grandfathers new hunting dog when he was newly adopted. However, at the very first gunshot Max bolted and my grandfather spent a three hours looking for Max in the woods. After the hunting incident my grandfather wrote Max off and, he became my dog.
The day Mom got Sugar was somewhat frightening for me. Obviously, I wanted nothing to do with the dog, I never planned to be in the same room as the dog, much less, take care of the dog. After all, Mom was supposed to take care of the dog. Slowly, I fell in love with her. She looked stern and loving. Her warm, brown eyes and pearly white smile only helped me fall in love with her. Not long after that I started to enjoy her company. Sugar was a loyal dog, she wanted to please everyone. When we went for a walk Sugar would come with us. We kept her on a leash, yet she never strayed from us.
Ever since I can remember I’ve wanted a dog. Never did I think that dogs would end up being by biggest fear. I was just a little kid around 6 years old when it happened. I was walking home from my friend’s house when I saw a stray dog, it was in the middle of the street blocking my way, I decided to walk past it, while I was walking it started growling at me, I hesitated but still kept trying to walk then suddenly it got up and started barking empathically towards me. I was terrified, my first initial reaction being a 6 year old kid was to scare it away, I was ignorant. I picked up a rock and threw it at the dog thinking it’ll get scared and run away. I was wrong. The dog had enough it made a whimpering noise then started barking even louder