IN PRAISE OF PETS 

We’re basically cats-and-dogs people. But we’ve had some exotic wildlife like a pair of monitor lizards called Napoleon and Samantha, caught trying to steal chicken eggs; a deer named Bambi, brought by a hunter-friend from the jungles of Surigao del Sur; and whatever was "in" at a particular time such as hamsters and aquarium fishes. In the fowl category we’ve had chicken, ducks, turkeys, lovebirds, hornbills or fruit-eaters, parrots and pigeons. We have raised rabbits, turtles, and guinea pigs. In our small pond we also bred catfishes, tilapia's and carps. Most of these were donated by friends and relatives. Others just happened to build their nest or den inside our compound. Still others simply walked in, flew by, or crawled into our lives.

Once, my brother Mitoy caught a snake in the garden. Although black and yellow snakes like Stanley are considered poisonous, he looked harmless enough. In fact he liked to be petted and didn’t mind being wrapped around my brother’s neck like a tie. Mitoy naturally wanted to keep him but Stanley slithered back to his hole in the ground the next day was never seen again.

There was never a dull moment having so many different animals living together. The dogs usually ruled the heap. They numbered between 12 and 18 at any given time. Many were mongrels, although a few displayed a hint of mestizo blood. The purebreds normally stayed indoors and hardly associated with the commoners.

Once in a while there comes an animal with the spunk and guts to dominate everybody else. There was Kitty, a blue-eyed Siamese who could sashay into the yard with her head held high and no dog would dare molest her. We had a mean duck who chased every living thing that came her way. One fighting cock reigned supreme by terrorizing dogs and humans as well. A pompous labuyo who strutted around the yard like a king, he was fiercely protective of his turf and would attack the other roosters each time they crowed.

Animals are like people. They wanted to be treated with kindness, respected as individuals and accepted for who they are. They also have feelings and hence get hurt, angry, annoyed, cranky and lonely. Some are playful, suplado, friendly, bright, bugo, affectionate and makulit. Their personalities are as distinct as humans’. It has nothing to do with species. One just can’t stereotype animals and make sweeping generalizations like "dogs are devoted to the end" and "cats are independent creatures."

We had a dog named Blackie who never mingled with the other dogs. A loner, he was also indifferent to us children. But there never was a more dedicated mother that Ninja, our mestiza Dachshund. She was inconsolable after all her pups died. Soon after she adopted a scrawny kitten that my brother found on the street. That stray, named Miss Tetchie Agbayani, grew up under Ninja's loving care, believing she was a dog. Right now, we also have a male tabby, whom we call Tianak who enjoys babysitting the kittens of our female cat Mamu.

Our dog Chikoy was more or less adopted by a flock of sparrows. He doesn’t seem to mind when they come to eat his leftover rice every morning. He just looks at them with a bored expression on his face. Neither do they show any sign of fear of him as they hop around and chatter merrily in front of him.

We have so much to learn from animals. Owning and really caring for a pet is one of the best ways to gain a better understanding and respect for them.

We, likewise, learn a little things about ourselves, Because they depend on us for their food, shelter and wellbeing, we learn to be more responsible for lives under our care. Because they cannot communicate their needs in words, we learn to be more sensitive and responsive to their non-verbal signs. Because they misbehave, maybe from misunderstanding our commands, we learn to be more patient and forgiving. Because they have shorter life spans, they keep dying on us, and we grieve over our loss again and again until the next pet comes along.

Animals are quite good for your health and sanity. Waking up to the melodious chirping of birds or the plaintive crow of the roosters helps you stat the day in a positive mood. It has also been said that observing a fish in an aquarium can lower your blood pressure. When you add touch, by petting a dog or cuddling a cat, the blood pressure goes down further. Life and Time magazines featured how animals, especially dogs, help many patients deals with their loneliness and depression. Thus, in the United States, it is not unusual for some homes of the elderly to have a living mascot like an orangutan visiting once in awhile to lift everybody’s spirits.

Asiaweek, in its April 19 issue, reported a study in Australia involving over 5,000 people which indicated that "pet owners have fewer minor illness, visit their doctor less frequently, have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, are less likely to die in the first year after a heart attack."

Be kind to animals and live longer.