Beautiful Memories

It was a fine Sunday. We dropped by a friend's house, before going home, to get a small, white puppy, whom our friend gave as a gift. There were three puppies, cute as ever. And we were asked to choose. Eventually, we chose a white pup with brown spots. I was just in my elemtary years then, but I can still vividly remember the feeling of excitement I felt that day, as I reached my hand to give it a cuddle, as if it was just yesterday.

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Time passed, he became a family--present in every family gathering, and even comes with us in our travels.

After some time, our family have acquired a brown pitbull again. This time my dad bought him from his officemate. I don't have a clue why it was a pitbull again. I think it was just a coincidence.

However, since my mom has been diagnosed to be allergic with furs, we no longer have pets. She's not allowed to have pets. 😭😭

I remember crying the day she broke the news to us. She came from her doctor's appointment and went through a series of tests, and unfortunately she tested positive in having skin allergies with furs and something like it. The doctor had specifically asked if we have dogs, and cats, and even birds at home. And harshly asked to get rid of those. 😭

Mom knows that we would be sad, even devastated, because it will mean that we will have to give our dogs to our aunt or somebody who would take care of it. It is really hard when to separate with dogs that we have grown to love and treated as a family.

Here in the Philippines, most dogs are not treated as families. They are just usually in the cage or in leash, and just stays outside, to scare off unwarranted individuals. Some are not even vaccinated. But ours were different. They were all vaccined, and are registered with our family surname.

We have raised many dogs before them. But the ones we gave to our aunt are Bougart and Smith.

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Bougart was a spotty pitbull. He was sweet and playful and would endlessly wag his tail whenever we arrive home. Yet he was fierce with his fellow dogs. He is the "king" of our street! Whenever he's out of the gate, all the male dogs would almost immediately disappear, hiding in fear of their lives. But he was friends with all the female dogs. Yes, funny as it may seem, but he was all that. But never ever did he attack any human. He barks when there's a stranger, but never attacked them. He was never trained to bite.

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The other one, Smith, is a brown pitbull. He is very playful as well. Being a tall dog, he usually overpowers us when we were playing. But unlike Bougart, he was a coward dog. He seldom went outside the house, I would say, he was a house-dog. 😂

After more than a decade, thinking of them and all the beautiful memories I have, still brings a tinge of sadness. I still often long to have a dog in the house, but doesn't have the courage to even verbalize it to my mom. I just keep it inside of me.

I envy those who have cute dogs. 🐩 🐕 Often, when we are at a public park, and there are a few people who walks with their dogs, almost always I would ask permission if I could take a photo of it. I think, for now, that's all I can afford to do.

Sadly, all the pictures I have with them was swept away by the Supertyphoon Haiyan that wrecked havoc to our place a few years back. All I have are memories, beautiful memories with our beloved pets.

Do you have pets? Join @gertu's challenge this week. Here's the rules.