A Tale of Two Pets

I know of two children who each own a pet.

One is John. He has a St. Bernard, a giant and expensive dog from the Swiss Alps, a very cold place. It was given to John by his father, a businessman, who bought it in one of his trips abroad.

Because this type of dog is not used to our warm weather, John keeps his pet in an air-conditioned room 24 hours a day.

John says, “I can’t take care of Biggie myself because he is bigger than me!” His dad therefore pays a yaya to feed, bathe, and groom the St. Bernard.

After school and on weekends, John brings his friends to this special room. As soon as they see Biggie they go, “Ooooh, aaaah, what a huge, beautiful dog!” But they are all scared to go near and play with it.   Also, John’s friends prefer playing outdoors.

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The other kid who owns a dog is Jacob; he named his pet Askie.

It was given to him by his father, who works as a gardener, and who found the dog lying sick beside a garbage can one day. The dog is what we call, askal (asong kalye), a street dog. It has no special dog breed — it is small and ordinary-looking.

Puppies of his kind are given away by their owners, for free.  

Everyday, Askie walks Jacob to school, or wherever Jacob goes. Sometimes, they race each other and always, they play rough and tumble outside the house. After doing his homework, Jacob feeds, bathes, and reads a story to Askie.

You could say, they are best of friends. Askie is so friendly he also plays with Jacob’s friends and the kids in the neighborhood.

* * *

Who do you think enjoys his dog more, John or Jacob?

A pet is supposed to be a source of joy for pet owners. It doesn’t matter what it is — a fish in an aquarium, a bird without a cage, a cat, a rabbit, a guinea pig, or anything at all.

It does not have to be expensive either, as long as you find time to love and care for it.

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Here are a few wonderful things you can get out of having a pet:

1. You learn about kindness and caring.

Just like people, pets need food, shelter, exercise, and love. You’ll know how important these are, not only for yourself but for others.

2. You become healthier.

As you walk, run, and play with your pet, or as you care for it, you exercise all your muscles, making you fit and healthy.

3. You begin to love reading.

If you read a story to your pet, it will listen to your voice. This will encourage you to keep looking for stories to read.

4. You have a chance to relax.

Brushing, patting, and stroking a furry or feathered creature will relax you, especially after a long day doing your school projects.

5. You are never alone or lonely.

Pets make good company, especially when you are not feeling well.

6. You become friendlier and more sociable.

Pets are great conversation topics. People would want to know about your pet and you’d be glad to tell them all about it.

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If you ever decide to have a pet — if you don’t have one yet — be like Jacob. Choose a pet you can take care of yourself and one that can love you back, and makes you happy anytime or anywhere!

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