Dream Big 47 (Special Edition) Pets Are People Too

As humans we rely on the companionship of others, whether it's our siblings, a best friend, or a romantic partner. But not everyone has a significant other, siblings, or friends, sometimes, we're just alone. What can a person do without having a companion in there life to rely on? The answer is simple, we find the perfect pet. Animals have been man's best friend for thousands of years. When mankind first arrived on the scene, he had to hunt and gather in order to survive. He had made a deal with Wolves, feeding them scraps in order to obtain their favor when they returned from a hunt. But then something miraculous occurred when the wolves, (who were mostly solitaries that had been kicked out of the pack), joined man in the hunt and adopted him as the new pack leader. Then over time the wolf became not only another great hunter for man, but he slowly became domesticated, the first "pet" so to speak. And wolves weren't the only wild animals utilized in hunting, in some countries big cats were used in hunting as well, like cheetahs, and the Skoggcat, or Norwegian Forest Cat, as they were sometimes called. Even birds of prey like Hawks, and Falcons were trained to kill and retrieve various prey for their masters. But the animals weren't just hunters, they were man's best friends. Fast forward several centuries later to present day. We still utilize our best friends in our daily work lives, since we no longer have a real need to hunt and gather. There are many different careers types that require animals to do special tasks only they can do. For instance, a police officer uses canines as not only a crime fighting companion, but use their keen sense of smell to locate a missing person, find objects, and or drugs. The military uses canines to detect bombs, or land mines, and also uses them for protection when out on missions. Firemen also use canines to locate missing people after a fire, and are sometimes seen riding along on the fire trucks. Health care professionals use animals to visit the sick in hospitals, because it helps the person to elevate their spirits. There are also many individuals who might have specials needs that require the use of service animals in their daily lives too. There are over a dozen different service jobs for dogs that many people are unaware of. The list is as follows: Diabetic Alert Dogs, Severe Allergy Alert Dogs, Visual Assistance Dogs, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, Wheelchair Assistance Dogs, Psychiatric Service Dogs (PTSD), Brace/Mobility Dogs, Seizure Response Dogs, Autism Assistance Dogs, Medical Alert Dogs, Medical Assistance Dogs, and other general types of Assistance Dogs. The three top breeds are the German Shepherd, Labrador Retrievers, and Golden Retrievers. Other breeds of dogs, and even mutts, can be trained as service, or assistance dogs, but it takes special breeding for the right temperament, long term health, dependability, and intelligence for trainability. Even though these dogs are trained professionals and not pets, but I'll bet their owners see them as more than that, perhaps more of a best friend who is always there for them when they need it. But dogs aren't the only ones used as service, or assistance animals. Horses have long since been used as mobile alternatives, or as a rehabilitation to help people learn to walk again. Other animals are used as assistance, or therapy companions, such as birds, or cats to comfort a person with emotional anxieties, or even warn them of an upcoming seizure as well. But even though more dogs are listed in the Service Animal Registry, other animals are slowly making their way on the list. Sometimes our best friends are without a job, laying around doing nothing, but eating our food, running up vet bills, and are simply being a real deadbeat. But we love them anyway. They greet us at the door after we've been slaving away at work all day long, and then comfort us until we lay our heads down to sleep at night. No matter what we do our pets are always there for us, listen to us, and keep our darkest secrets for us. We are perfect in their eyes, and they are perfect in ours. Until they chew, mangle, or destroy the furniture, and or snatch the food off of the counters, or tables. We put up with their annoying habits, and clean up their messes. But no matter what, our pets are there to love us, as we love them in return, through the good and the bad, in sickness and in health, they are there for us, and we for them. Animals are more than just a working companion, or a pet, they are our best friends. They have feelings, they can feel pain, and above all they are better than us in so many ways. In fact, we can learn from them, not only to be better people for them, but to better people to each other.