“I own a Pit Bull, It’s a lifestyle. I’m on a mission to fight bad reputations and stereotypes. I am an advocate. I stand up for their breed and it’s a priviedge”—Pittie Chick

The first time I heard my mom was finally going to agree to get a dog was from my sister over text eight months after I moved from Arizona to California for school and two weeks before I was supposed to come home for the summer. After confronting my mother about it, she sent me the sweetest picture. It’s of her holding the most adorable three week old Great Pyrenees puppy. That dog looked like it belonged with my mom. My two sisters and I all agreed that it would be a crime against the universe if she didn’t take her home. They belonged together.

Welcome. I am here to talk about something that most people are afraid to talk about for multiple reasons, one of the biggest ones being that people will think you are a horrible person, and also that you will think so as well. This thing being: When you have pets, but you hate them.

It's so cold. So lonely. The hunger is eating me away. I am just wasting away. I miss my old pack they were there for me they cared for me I meant something there. My mummy was the leader she was beautiful a picture of pure intelligence and love she was warm and cosy caring too. I miss her. My brothers were boisterous and almost seemed as though they were brainless, but even though they showed thick skulls and thick skin to passers-by they were always soft and warm caring and ready to listen. My sisters were strong and powerful but beautiful to they loved to be the centre of attention, they would always sit in regal positions with heads held high to show their proudness of who they were. They were fun we played all the time together we all wanted to grow up and be strong and proud like our mum. I always thought I would see her again or them but one by one we all went to new homes and had new packs to take care of. I hope they are where they are loved. That was once me, I was once loved.

Owning a pet comes with a lot of responsibility. There’s a lot of things you don’t think about when you’re considering becoming a dog or cat parent. Committing to owning a pet is committing to a whole new lifestyle.

It was a rainy, cold afternoon, the wind was blowing, and it was definitely not a day that I wanted to go grocery shopping. It was one of those days that I could have stayed in bed all day, like many days. The struggle was real. Major depression was a part of my life, but I had to keep going, pushing myself to do even the smallest of task. I pulled myself together and headed out. What I didn’t know was a little miracle would come into my life that day.

Hello readers,

Are you deciding whether or not to adopt a pet? Let’s discuss why you might want to because, in the following, you’ll discover the benefits of adopting from an animal shelter, including adding a healthy animal into your family that is being taken care of by a veterinarian.

The trip "home"—time has no meaning for cats like us—not like humans. We eat when our tummies say we’re hungry, we sleep when we’re tired, we play when we have bursts of energy... I can’t tell you exactly how long or how short the time was to the next visit that the people that smelled similar to our caretakers was, all I know is that I was taken away from my siblings and never saw them again—or at least not in the same light anyway. I was picked up, placed on a lap, and stayed there the whole trip—might have even fallen asleep for a bit. The trip there wasn’t unpleasant, but it was rather jarring to be introduced to a new environment, minus all my siblings. I was put in a room, why I don’t know, and I protested... loudly. I escaped first chance I got—but wait, who was this? Not one of my siblings, for certain, but it was certainly another of my species; at that moment I didn’t really care. I hissed at him, and hissed back at me; I was mad—how DARE they take me away from the only family I knew and drop me in a strange place, with a stranger? I was closed in the room again, unhappy and confused. Time wore on, and I got to meet this other member of my species, this time having decided to make the best of my situation.

In my lifetime, I've been fortunate that five dogs have consented to live with me—not an easy feat, if you knew me in real life.

I just started a new job as the kennel manager for an animal rescue group called Pawsafe. From the moment I met my boss and heard her talk about this rescue, I knew it was the right fit for me. I could hear the passion in her voice, and it sounded like what I at least think I sound like when I talk about helping animals. By the end of the interview, not only was I offered the job, but I also accepted it and immediately started brainstorming ideas for the kennel. However, as much as I love my job, and no matter how excited I am to be doing it, there are some hardships that come with working in animal rescue.

I first set eyes on Cody in a cage in a pet rescue shelter, in a town 10kms from my home.