Did you have lots of pets when you were a kid? Not me and there’s a reason for that. The first one I ever had was Heidi. She was a German Shepherd puppy we got from a family friend. I was so excited when my daddy brought her home. At that time, I hadn’t developed my fear of dogs yet. Let me tell you, I loved that little dog. I played with her and she followed me around everywhere. Heidi was my little buddy. Then she became very sick. Apparently, the vet had given her liter too much worm medication. Unfortunately, Heidi didn’t make it. Needless to say, I was heartbroken. I still remember crying and my mom trying to console me. She told me Heidi was happy and playing with other puppies in doggie Heaven. That did make me feel better, but after that, the only animals I was around on a regular basis were a few cats and my papaw’s cows. I didn’t even go the zoo unless my friends wanted to go.
Our daughter Sara was and still is a totally different story. Tim and I could tell from her early age how much she loved animals. Naturally, she wanted to have pets. Over the years, she has had: dogs, cats, a rabbit, a lizard, fish, hamsters, a bird, a pot-bellied pig, and (my least favorite) crabs. They look too much like spiders to me. Now, she has her own kennel and dog walking business : Sara’s Waggy Tails. And it suits her well, but there was an experience at the zoo that I thought would make her frightened of animals.
The summer she was 3 years old, my dad took us on a family trip to the zoo. Personally, I wasn’t too excited about the smell or walking around on such a hot summer day. But as for Sara, I didn’t want her to get too hot, so I put her in a cute sundress. Everything went well until we reached the petting zoo area. As soon as we got her out of the stroller, she began to pet the animals as she cooed, “Awwwwww.” We bought food so she could feed the goats. She giggled and laughed as they ate from the palm of her hand. Let me tell you, when I was her age, there was no way I would have hand fed a goat. I would be too afraid that it would bite me. In fact, I let Sara, Tim, and my dad do all of the feeding. At one point, I looked away. I don’t remember what caught my attention, but that’s when I heard Sara’s shrill scream. My heart leapt into my throat. I imagined a goat with its teeth sunk into her hand. But when I turned back around, I saw a goat chewing on her skirt. Tim jerked her skirt away from it. Since the threat and her fear were gone, Sara immediately went back to petting the goats.
“Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4 (KJV)
As you read, that little goat chewing incident didn’t turn Sara against animals. For that, I am very thankful. Why? Because she has a tender heart toward them. I have seen her not just come to the aid of animals, but also children or anybody else who needs help.
To this day Sara has many pets and she loves going to the zoo. To this day, I don’t go to the unless somebody else wants to go. I’ll just stay home and eat some chocolate.