This post is dedicated to all the critters that have passed through my life...as well as, Mom, who taught me my love for critters...
and Dad, who put up with both of us and the critters that "followed us home"!
I may not remember what you looked like.
I may not remember your name.
But, you have touched my life.
Mom taught me at a very young age to love all critters. She taught me there is no reason not to care for every critter that comes my way.
When Dad was stationed with the USAF at Beale AFB in California, Mom brought home many dogs and cats. She would go to the pound on base, take all the cats and dogs on their last day and bring them home. Back then, as now, some 'pounds' only held animals for a limited time. In the case of the base pounds, it was three days.
Mom would bring these cats and dogs home. She would nurse them back to health, feeding them and getting their vaccines up to date. I don't know how she did it taking care of three young children on such little money. Dad was not an officer; however, I do not remember his rank at the time. I believe he made Staff Sargent while we were at Beale; so, his pay was low. This was the 1970s. After taking in these cats and dogs and saving them from their ultimate fate, she would find them homes. And, Dad let her do whatever she wanted when it came to the critters.
There were so many dogs and cats going through the house back then and I was young. I can't begin to remember all of them. I have recollections of some of them. There are pictures of us with some of them. Some I remember only from these photos. I wish I remembered them all. I hope they all found good homes. I hope they all lived long, healthy lives.
Mom taught me a lot of how to treat animals.
She gave me my love for animals.
She is, in my eyes, as well as the eyes of all these dogs and cats she saved, a true critter angel!
Thanks Mom!
And, thanks Dad for not getting angry - ok, who gave in when I started with the pouty lips, you know the one where you could "go all the way back to Texas on that lip" - when critters would "follow" me home!
My mom also gave me my love of animals. Dad was supportive too. They both put up with all manner of critters. Of course, we always had a dog (or two), but there was one cat, and the assorted hamsters, guinea pig, rats, snakes, lizards and frogs.
ReplyDeleteWe were also stationed at Beale! We were there for a year in the late 60's or early 70's.
It's a small world, isn't it?!?!
Thanks for adding me to your Photographers & Artists list!
-Ann