The importance of pets.

We always had a lot of pets in our lives. I grew up with kittens, there are pictures of me with kittens wrapped in blankets in a pusher that I pushed around, a lamb wearing clothes, puppies wearing bonnets. I dressed everything as babies it seems.

Dad brought home a baby Kangaroo that was an orphan and Mum bottle fed that and at one stage I hand reared an emu and various baby birds that were rescued. In high school I stayed home from school for a couple of days to get a pair of Wood Swallows out of danger because Dad had rescued them. They only ate insects and catching enough insects took me days, but they survived and were released back to where they had come from. They were just gorgeous! Baby birds are just amazing to me.

The girls were the same. At the farm there were always so many animals and puppies especially were a feature. They did the same as me, they liked to wrap them and play mothers and babies. And I do note even now when we go to the farm the puppies are given a bath and come inside and nursed just the same as ever.

Lucy and her husband have Wednesday. She is one hilarious dog and part of the family. Wednesday really likes me, she does this giant smiley face! I'm pretty sure she would be very protective if that was called for.

Chloe has her first home which is a unit. So she is limited with pets but she has Houdini who is the tamest budgie ever. He is called Houdini because of his tricks. If you put your hand anywhere near him he jumps straight onto it. 

When Chloe travels Houdini goes too. She puts the safety belt around his cage. Yep. And it is nothing to talk to Chloe on the phone and I will say WHAT is that noise? It will be Houdini chewing the phone. lol

Dad has had many dogs. When I was born he had Mitt. Mitt had been around for years and went on into his 20s and even then was run over and never died of old age. Another was Raffles who he actually won in a raffle. Another was Blue. She was a blue heeler and she got very old too. She and a Cape Barren Goose fell in love and slept together on the back door mat for several years. Very strange. They were the same colour so maybe that was it? I had similar luck with dogs living into old age. My first dog was Gidget. She went to live with Nan when I went to uni and she must have been well pst ten then but she lived another ten years, I know she was in her twenties before she died.

Nan and Pa rescued an abandoned dog. I went with them when they heard a dog had been dumped and tied to a tree on the side of the road. Clearly she had just had puppies but they were not with her. So she joined the family. And Dad rescued kittens which turned out to be Manx kittens... he gave them to Nan to see what she could do and this dog took them over and fed them. So there were kittens nursing from this dog. Well, they grew up fine although possibly confused.

I have kept a lot of birds including chooks. 

I just now have a new baby budgie and I have pink Bourke's Parrots and a fish called Barney.

So meet Chippy! He is going to be my Bluebirds mascot. It makes sense!

He loves toys and my hair. He talks a lot!

The long and short of it is that pets are really important. It is known now that pets are good for us too. Good for our physical and mental health. It is so true. In my darkest hour when I was sad and depressed I kept fish and fish may not sound exciting but I loved them and they were great for me. In fact I have a picture of my favourite fish who was called Rosie. I loved Rosie.

What a face. 

The harder your life, the more you need pets. For anyone who can't get out much they are even more important. The happy company and the funny things they do makes life much better. And I think we have proven that even with limited space or rules about what you can have you can still enjoy your pets. The thing is choosing appropriately. If you are unwell and in bed an energetic dog is no good but a cat might keep you company and be lovely.

Pets have life lessons for children, on so many levels. They can be a best friend when you need one and the world is letting you down.

Many "real age tests" increase your expected lifespan if you have pets. If you are living alone please please please have a pet. 

I know I do best if I have pets. They just are funny and brighten my day without fail. They put things into perspective somehow. They greet you and love your family unconditionally. At the end of the day the sort of greeting they give you is priceless.

If I had a teenager who was doing it tough or a child bullied at school the first thing I would do is get them a pet. 

I hope you had a great weekend. Back to Monday, I have lots to do and groceries to buy. Tonight we are having dinner with Mum and I am taking my last apricot pie from the apricots on our tree over summer. It is so handy to be able to just thaw a pie! xxx