Our Pets Are People Too

We as humans more often than not see ourselves as the most social/compassionate creatures on the planet, but are we ? Human beings seem to crave companionship, this interaction aids us in developing healthy, normal relationships. These relationships cross over into our abilities to function with others at school, the work place or just everyday life. But is companionship something that is craved only by us or does it seep over to the animal kingdom as well. Hubber justinevondall said it best and I quote "Almost every human on earth has experienced an inter-species relationship. Whether your best friend is a dog, cat, horse, hamster or lizard, people are quite aware of the positive affects the love of an animal can have on us". http://justinevondall.hubpages.com/hub/Interspecies-Relationships

It was once believed that people were the only ones capable of feeling complex emotions, but history shows different. These Inter-species relationships are being seen at the zoo, animal sanctuaries as well as our very own homes. Cats forming relationships with birds or dogs, leopards forming relationships with dogs, turtles with hippos. The predator and the pray as well are lying down differences and forming long lasting friendships. One major point that I did observe was that this inter-species pairing did not occur in the wild. This pairing was formed between orphaned animals who were sharing the same environment. Once removed from their natural habitat a new form of nurturing must begin; you have to replace the missing parent, or group that they belong to if you want them to have as normal and healthy a life as possible.I do not doubt that if they had never been removed from there natural habitat (if their health issues did not dictate removal) that the predictor and prey relationship would still be in effect.

I believe that it is the desire not to be alone which has helped to form these unlikely bonds. If a big cat such as a lion cub in the wild were in it's natural habitat it would be called a Pride. They rely solely on their mother for their first six weeks of life. While in the pride they learn and play. The games they play imitate behavior that they will need as adults to defend themselves as well as survive. Play not only helps to teach cubs survival skills but it helps to build strong social bonds as well. Just knowing that mom and dad will protect them from predators helps to provide a home of security and comfort. All these things could not take place without a social bond. Be it the human race or the animal kingdom we all need these social bonds to grow, learn and survive.

Companionship nurtures us all (people and animals) physically, mentally and emotionally. Even those who are socially isolated could not start off that way, at one point they were not able to feed or care for themselves. Someone had to teach them how to eat or build a home. It seems that a lot of things that we expect as a way of life do not end with us. Our pets/animals also are in need of these bonds. All my life I have had dogs, cats, fish, birds.... around me; it wasn't until adulthood that I realized the impact that these relationships had on me. They (my pets) needed me and I needed them and we were happier and healthier because of our relationships. We formed bonds that grew into strong, lasting friendships.

It is said that animals can sense fear, I believe that fear is not the only thing that they can sense. They are also capable of sensing "need" in a very compassionate way. Once believed to be incapable of complex emotions, the following examples will force you to rethink that thought pattern.

• Stroehen, North Germany's zoo house an unusual pair. A Dachshund named Bessi has become mom to a baby tiger. Bessi began nursing the tiger when it's mother died. Even tho the baby may be too young to realize that it is not a dog, Bessie knows and adopts the tiger none-the-less.
• Three baby tiger at a zoo in the Ukraine have been abandoned by their mom. A pig on a farm in eastern Ukraine takes on nursing responsibilities for the three tigers even tho she has dozens of piglets of her own to feed. This pig could very easily reject them as it's mother did but she must sense their need and is compassionate enough to step in.
• A lion instead of eating her dinner adopted an antelope.
• Lion cubs making friends with baby tigers in the Jinan Wildlife World in Jinan, capital of east China’s Shandong Province. In their natural habitat they are enemies, but their need for companionship and to cooperate or compromise seems to trump all else.

Zoos in China have been using dogs as surrogates for some time. It is a common practice in Chinese Zoos to use dogs as surrogates for lion cubs, bears, tigers and other newborns. Animals have been placed with other animals of different species for the sake of building bonds of friendship not just in China but around the world. But would these relationships happen on their own. So far they appear to be manipulated by others.

A bond not manipulated by human hands:

Charlie is a 40 year old horse who was rescued to live out his days in peace. Jack is a 16 year old goat who lives on the same ranch as Charlie. When Charlie lost his eyesight, his adopted parents chose to be compassionate and put Charlie down. It would be hard for a blind horse to function on his own, especially with the many years of age that he carries; but something happened that they did not expect. That something's name is Jack.
Jack sensed Charlie's need and stepped in, forming a bond that only death could break. No human knew of this bond of friendship but Charlie must have known, he knew that his friend would guide him and be his eyes.
When Charlie first lost his sight in one eye Jack would walk on the side where Charlie still had sight to guide his friend to his favorite grazing ground on the ranch property. In time Charlie lost his sight in both eyes and Jack being the friend that he was would walk 10 - 15 feet in front of him, making sure that Charlie stayed on the path by the sound of his hooves.
For years Jack watched over his friend, who would have thought that two different breed of animals could have possibly formed such a bond without words. Jack did not get paid for his compassion or dedication. He simply did what needed to be done, knowing that he was the only one to get the job done. This bond lasted until Charlie eventually passed leaving old Jack the goat behind, but I don't doubt that they will see each other agin; but that is another story.

We can learn a lot from the animal kingdom. If they can separate their differences and see the universal need why can't we. Maybe it is time for the lamb to lie down with the sheep. Sooner or later we all need a hand up, and not a hand out.