Pets Have Feelings and Emotions

After watching a documentary on television regarding pets and how they help to relieve stress, my husband decided that we needed to adopt one. He was going through a lot of stress at work and I was sick with CFS - chronic fatigue syndrome. My first reaction was no, we don't have time to care for a pet. He insisted that he was going to get a bird; he had been stopping at a pet store after work and wanted to get a parakeet. That Friday evening he came home with a small box. When he opened it, a grey and yellow bird popped up with feathers sticking up on top of his head - it was a cockatiel. I was not familiar with cockatiels and was disappointed because the colors did not match the décor in the apartment.

We named our new friend Chuckles. After a week of him not eating, my husband decided to adopt his friend from the store whom we named Birdie.

Thinking back, I wish we had taken the time to do research first. I wish I had taken time off work to help them adjust to their new surroundings. It was weeks before they started feeling comfortable and before they could trust us. Chuckles adjusted more quickly than Birdie. Unfortunately, Birdie had been mistreated. His wings had been clipped so short that he had dry blood under them. He was so aggressive that we could not hold him at all. If he needed to be moved, we would place a stick in front of him, he would step up and then we would him that way. As weeks went by and he would see us hold and play with Chuckles, he started trusting us too. First he started by stepping up when we would place our finger in front of him and then he started letting us pet him. Now, seven years later, he is the sweetest little bird. He loves to sit on our shoulder and will fly to us whenever he is out of his cage. He just needed a lot of TLC. It makes me angry when I think about all the pain that he was put through.

Although both birds are cockatiels, their personalities are completely different. I have learned so much from having them around. I have learned that animals have emotions and feelings. They may not be able to communicate the way humans do but that does not mean that they don't feel pain, or that they can not feel happy or sad. I can see the worry in their eyes when they are separated. They like to eat toast in the evening but neither one will start eating until both are together to start eating at the same time.

Now that I have done research, I have learned that when adopting a pet, it is better to bring him/her home early in the day. This way the pet will have time to adjust to the new surroundings before it gets dark. Learning about what they need to eat in order to receive the required nutrition is also very important. Since pets can not speak, they can not tell us what they need, so we need to think for them.

I am grateful and glad that my husband insisted on adopting a pet. Although having a pet involves responsibility, sometimes more than what we are prepared for, there are also many rewards. Spending time with my two feathered friends is very relaxing. They have brought so much joy and unconditional love to our lives. I hope to have them around for many more years.