When I was 19 I impulsively bought a pet lionhead rabbit from the farmers market where I worked for $20 (tip money and change scrounged up from my boyfriend’s car). we named him Dale. That was another huge free will moment that I could just do something like that but unfortunately I had to live with the consequences of my decision and taking care of a rabbit is a lot of work! Years later I would talk in therapy and cry about how I couldn’t have a dog because it wouldn’t be safe with Dale, the financial obligation was too great, and it was not the right time in my life.
Dale died when he was ten not long after moving all the way across the country with him! He lived a long time for a dwarf rabbit and he was happy and healthy until the end. I had to euthanize my cat Kitty not long after that because she had lymphoma.
I got a kitten and named her Dolly and she was the love of my life! The sweetest goofiest long haired black cat who loved getting into mischief, sleeping on my head, and giving me hugs around my neck and kissing my face. She suddenly started showing symptoms of latent FIP, an untreatable fatal disease, shortly after her first birthday. Her condition deteriorated rapidly and I had to let her go.
The loss of Dolly was tremendous. I couldn’t imagine getting another cat to replace her because I would only ever compare them and she was one of a kind.
Still, I found myself at a shelter and when they gave me a tour of their adoptable animals, I saw this little guy in a cage staring out at me with his big beautiful eyes. When we took him out and brought him to a room to meet him even the shelter staff were impressed by how well behaved he was. I couldn’t leave this sweet wiggly worm behind so I adopted him!
It blew my mind that they would just let me fill out a form and pay them $300 or whatever and take a little guy like this home and that I could finally have a dog. It was a pain raising him in an apartment but he has a house with a yard now and I think (I hope!) that he’s very happy. Several people told me they thought this was a decision I would regret but I wouldn’t change a thing!
