Wolfy  Asked...
- how many of you, had no close pets as  children, but later in life
became animal and ferret people?

Had pets from as soon as I can remember

- how many of you,  had a couple of standard pets such as dogs  or cats
as  children?
- how many of you had close  contact with more unusual species of
animals as children?

I started with a turtle and gold fish.  Then we went on to hamsters and
guinea pigs.

Then we moved into a residential area that was not built up yet.  So it
was more like living in the country.  My mother rescued baby bunnies,
injured birds, abandoned rats, and starving kittens.  Dad secretly had a
squirrel that came into the house for peanuts while mom was shopping.
We never told her.  The rescues were curtailed when dad could no longer
afford the tremendous vet bills.

We went on to a rooster and chicken as pets....Henrietta and Cock Robbin.
Then we had a few cats and a dog.  People arrived on our doorstep with
them.

Mom wept and mourned with us over every loss.  We had a graveyard in the
large field in front of our home, and mom said a prayer with us after
digging the grave.  Her heart was as broken as ours.
[Posted in FML issue 5272]