My adopted gerbil Ben is weird. He was originally purchased with his brother Jerry and the family brought him back alone. Gerbils are supposed to live in pairs or groups so bringing one back should definitely be a crime but the shop has a policy to take all animals back. Then lockdown happened, and he was alone in a tiny enclosure for at least four months. This is not good for a gerbil. We found him when the shop was open and we went back to visit every few days until they were allowed to start selling animals again. We thought that if he was still there when we went, we would get him. We turned up and all the animals were gone.
Every single pet was bought or adopted…except for Ben. For some reason, no one wanted him. I immediately made a donation and he was mine! They told me the donation is optional and that most people don’t pay, so I literally said out loud much to my girlfriend’s chagrin, “Fuck those people I’ll donate on their behalf too”. Ben is super nervous and anxious. When we first got him, it was hopeless. Over time though, he’s grown more confident. He can handle noise and activity without running or hiding too much, and we’re starting to handle him. Picking up is difficult so we’ve got a tunnel he can run into and we pick it up so he can’t get out. I can pick him up, but he finds it stressful even if it’s for his own good (like taking him to his exercise playpen or cleaning his cage). I’m writing about this because this tiny little creature that probably doesn’t even like me very much has brought me more happiness and joy than he will ever know. He hasn’t been around long, and won’t be around long, but he has forever made an impact on my life.
I have learned a different kind of love. That’s why I’m going to rescue an ex-racing greyhound. Okay now we’ve had the greyhound little over a month. He’s amazing and literally my best friend. He’s comfortable around us, taken very quickly to the family. Lets us lie in his bed (when most greyhounds are territorial or prefer their own space) and has practically none of the problems this breed tends to have. More might appear as we get closer and time goes on, but I’m quick to jump on anything before it develops. His habits are good, he pees and poops on schedule which makes toilet training super easy. He eats a little quick but so far doesn’t seem to cause him issues. He’s learning a few commands and he really quickly learnt stairs (used to be scared of them!). It’s really challenging having a dog, especially a giant ex racing pure muscle greyhound who wants to kill every small dog he sees, but he’s a wonderful companion and good fun to have around.