Top Stories
Stories in Petlife that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
Perfection Is A Fig
The hot July sun beams in through the open window, creating a patch of warmth that Fig happily stretches out on. He yawns lazily, waving his tail slowly back and forth, his fur warm to the touch. Oregon has been on a record stretch of heat, the suburban air scented coconut from sunscreen and summer cocktails enjoyed in the shade. Fig remains content in his heat-induced delirium, a level of relaxation one can only achieve after a lifetime of having nowhere to be and nothing to do. Voices downstairs pull Fig out of his summer daze, he squints his good eye open, wondering if it is worth investigating or not. He lost his left eye many years ago, when he was a kitten, in a fight over something he can’t remember. It took him months to build up the courage to look at himself, scared that such a disfigurement would be too much for others to accept. Now, most days, he likes being different, and he takes pride in the fact that his one eye contains more appreciation for art and culture than most cats have with two.
Alexis MakepeacePublished 4 days ago in Petlife
A Photographic Journey
I have probably taken a million photos of my dog over the years, starting our first days together. First good photo of Buddy, he was afraid of the camera
Lois CunniffPublished 7 days ago in PetlifePigs Aren’t As Dumb As You Think! We Have Been Underestimating Them.
‘Sweat like a pig’? Really? In fact, they don’t sweat. Humans sweat, Dogs pant. It’s their way of cooling down the body after doing some demanding activity. But what do pigs do? They neither have sweat glands nor could pant like dogs. So, it’s their way of cooling down by wallowing in mud and dung. Their mud-caked appearance gives them an inappropriate reputation for untidiness.
Nikhil VemuPublished 8 days ago in PetlifeSpot's Secret
We adopted Spot from the shelter the day after my older brother left for college. Spot was about six months old when we got him. I don’t know how he got the name Spot. He looked nothing like a Spot to me. He was a golden retriever puppy, with big blue eyes. No spots anywhere. However, this was the name he responded to, so the shelter recommended that we keep his name, to help manage his anxiety.
Second Chances
I hadn’t planned to rescue a dog that day. It was an ordinary day for me; a mid-January Wednesday, full of work, after-work errands and being tired. As it turns out, it was an ordinary day for the dog as well: full of hunger, cold, fear and being targeted by teenagers who thought it was fun to throw bottles at a stray. That our paths crossed was the only extraordinary part of the day – for either of us.
Marney Studaker-CordnerPublished 14 days ago in PetlifeThe Scuba-Diving Cat
It all started with a cat. I caught a glimpse of her one day as she streaked by me in the garage. I had promised myself to never owe more than $10,000 of credit card debt, but there I was at $9,997, buying cat food at the corner store. I hit $10,011 the next day when I realized that she was pregnant. When I got to $10,061, I named her Christmas, because she came bearing gifts and had a fat belly. She had seven babies that summer, shortly after I hit $10,098. I did not name the kittens, except for the one that died. I found him in the morning when I went out to the garage to empty the trash. I buried Carrot in my neighbor’s geraniums while they were at work.
What The Swallows Know
In her newest book, Rising Strong, author and resiliency researcher Brené Brown quotes a proverb she learned from the Asaro tribe of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea:
Lacey DoddrowPublished 16 days ago in PetlifeHow Pets Could Be a Solution to Touch Deprivation
Do you remember the days when we could kiss our loved ones with no fear? Or when we could hug a stranger for a nice deed? Well, now that the handshakes are put on hold and people are requested to distance, those heartwarming acts are harshly replaced by fear and anxiety.
How did my Home Become a Sanctuary for Random Creatures?
Perhaps the title should read: How did my home become an involuntary sanctuary for random creatures? I certainly didn't send out invitations. Oddly enough, this is not a complaint. Each unique encounter has been either intriguing, entertaining, or at the very least educational. Only one of our visitors cost us money to remove. Perhaps I'll file that one under complaints.
Erica RobertsPublished 22 days ago in Petlife
My 2021 Resolution - Be More Dog
It is 7.30am on a wet and dreary January day. I am contemplating getting out of bed and preparing for the day ahead, not really wanting to move from the cosy comfort of my nest beneath the duvet but knowing that I really ought to.
Sophie JacksonPublished 27 days ago in Petlife
Hanging Out at the Crow Bar: the Secret Lives of America's Smartest Birds
My roommate has developed a close personal relationship with the neighborhood crows. First, she started putting out water for them. Then she started feeding them. And now they are starting to communicate with her.
A Song of the Stars
A single brown leaf was swept up as a soft breeze weaved through the branches. The sun had set much earlier than usual; it would soon be time to leave.
Alanna WeeksPublished about a month ago in Petlife
