Animals are beautiful creatures. They are of different types. Some are classified as wild and some as domestic animals. Although these days, the definition of wild animals seems to be faulty as some animals which are meant to live in the bush and now being found at some homes as pets.
Yes, I love animals. I have a natural affection for some animals and there are some I cannot stand the sight of. I've loved animals since I was a kid. There is this satisfaction that comes from stroking a dog or cuddling a cat. I'm fascinated by how loyal they are. Once I saw a dog actually cry because the owner was sad. It blew my mind. I love animals because unlike humans, they are loyal and trustworthy. Animals can be your best friend.
I don't have any pets at the moment. Although I would love to have one, there is no pets allowed agreement where I presently live.
I once had a cat when I was a teenager. My father had come home with a few hours old kitten. He said he had found it all alone crying and decided to bring it home. That was quite noble of my dad. We named it Salvador. Now that I think of it, I wonder how we came about that name. Salvador grew up to be a lovely white cat. She knew everyone in the family. She found a hole through which she comes out to welcome anyone returning from outside. At night, she snuggles up in bed beside my siblings and i. Although Salvador had some naughtiness in her. She would always steal fish from my plate of soup while eating and If she is angry with you, she defecates in the house instead of going out as a way of punishing you.
One day we came back from school and Salvador was gone. Father said we were too attached to her and people advised him to give her away. It broke my heart and I still miss her till date.
I love dogs but I never had one as a pet. I once lived with a neighbor that owned a dog called Bruno. Bruno was a beautiful German shepherd. She was always ready to assist with things like taking thrash out. She knows when you are sad as she will come sit very close to you, placing her head on your arms. She loves a nice belly rub and a good scratch behind her ears and her chin. Sadly, she was run over by a car and that was the end of the beautiful relationship we shared.
In my culture, animals are respected. I see a lot of people keep pets. As terrifying as it sounds, my grandfather once had a crocodile as a pet. It was amazing how he was able to teach the animal our language. The crocodile understood every command my grandfather gave it in my language. My grandfather was a hunter. I once saw him wrap a living snake around his waist. Pigeons are common sight in people's compound. A lot of people rear cattles and birds in my hometown. This makes me believe that animals are respected in my culture. I do not know of any custom or tradition that prohibits animals living with man in my culture.
I don't know if these animals count as wild animals but in my hometown, we have snakes, crocodiles, turtles, antelopes, monkeys. These are the animals I know I have heard people talk about. I wouldn't know if there are other wild animals that can be found in my hometown.
Cats are considered bad luck in my culture, especially black cats. This is because it is believed that witches transform into cats to inflict harm and destruction on people and their properties.
Snails are also considered bad omen when eating by a pregnant woman. It is believed that a pregnant woman that eats snail will give birth to a child that will suffer ptyalism. I feel this is a mere superstition as it's impossible for mere eating of snail to cause such.
Also, owls are considered as bad luck. Whenever an owl is seen during the day in anyone's compound, it is believed that someone is about to die in the compound or a great misfortune that will bring about great wailing is about to befall someone living in that compound.
That would be dogs and cats. These two animals are animals I would love to keep as pets. This may be due to my previous experiences living with them. I love birds too but birds aren't affectionate animals so I don't feel much attraction towards them.
The most beautiful relationship I've heard of between human and animal is the story of a woman who leaves her baby with her dog each time she goes out to get groceries. On one such occasion, a snake got into the house and the dog fought and killed the snake after taking the baby to safety. It's simply amazing how loyal and devoted these animals can be.
I've also seen someone that taught his dog how to dance and play football. His dog is his dancing and soccer partner.
Although this happened in a movie, I believe it's a possibility. I once watched a movie where a dog witnessed the murder of his master and he took vengeance on behalf of his master killing everyone who partook in the murder.
Being in the presence of an animal can have a calming effect on a human's psyche. They don't judge you and they provide unconditional love. I think there should be a campaign for "adopt a pet today". These beautiful creatures need to be taken care of.
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