Technically, “my” Facebook account belongs to my now deceased dog, Huxley.
He joined to post pictures of his extreme - and I mean, extreme - enthusiasm for walks, hikes, swims etc. I mean, most dogs are happy, but he was exceptionally happy. He also, contrary to his breed, a mix of two intelligent breeds - Weimeraner and German Pointer - was exceptionally stupid, which maybe allowed him to feel pure joy, unmitigated by any doubt.
I wanted to archive the FB account when he joined the over-excited howling chorus in the sky, but I don’t know how.
Well, he isn’t a pet but I like the videos of Chunk the Groundhog. And for pets there’s Crusoe the celebrity dachshund, his sister Daphne, and their friends Oakley and Delilah.
I follow Mister Bubz on Insta, who’s a highly reactive terrier mix of some sort. The accompanying narrative of his inner evil thoughts is very entertaining.
It’s turtles all the way down. Look at that little bastard go!
My wife is volunteer admin for a non-profit that supplies wheelchairs free of charge for disabled pets. I am still agape at how well animals adapt to the things — goats, rabbits, turtles, you’d think it was part of their anatomy from birth. Strap them in — GONE! So long, suckers!
@MyFootsZZZ, @burpo_the_wonder_mutt :It’s easy to anthropomorphize animals, given how much they resemble us in many ways. I’m inclined to believe that many species possess richer inner thoughts and greater self-awareness than we previously assumed.
In general, trying to domesticate wild animals is bad idea; it often ends disastrously for both the animal and the humans involved, who are typically at fault. However, there are exceptions like Luna the panther. Abandoned and unable to survive on her own, she was domesticated from a young age by a caring owner and now thrives. A beautiful animal with a beautiful story—she is clearly living a full and happy life, and that’s what truly matters.
I’m inclined to believe that too, but then I remember how much I WANT it to be true, and try to acknowledge my own HUGE bias. There are also times when I hear someone state the opposite, in a matter-of-fact way, and I try to be cognitive of that, too. Truth is, we’ll most likely never know the extent of which we “share” aspects of “realities” that would further an emotional tie.
I mean, I eat MUCH less meat now, but… never ate cat. How come? They’re cute? I’m not going to venture to guess how much my cat loves me and how much it just want’s the free food to keep coming. I will respect and love my cat as much as I know how to, and hopefully the absurd amounts of times I tell her, “I love you.” will somehow do something to penetrate her instinctive bias, but prolly not.
In the end, though, I think cats are so awesome. I’m soooo bias though. I love them so much.
No way?!! Let me ask you this: I understand we love them all, but Willy HAD to have cracked the top 3, in your ‘most adorable’ list, right?!
