A letter to Baloo on Love Your Pet Day
Happy Love Your Pet Day!
Yes, we have another holiday to celebrate our beloved pets. It’s called Love Your Pet Day on this February 20, 2015. A friend from an animal clinic in South Africa shared her pet love letter with me, and asked that I share it with you. I hope you find this as touching and as inspiring as I did. May every day be Love Your Pet Day. Read on.
A letter to Baloo from Marcelle van Zyl, Fundraising & Communications Manager, Mdzananda Animal Clinic:
Dear Baloo,
When we first met I was not doing well. I had been struggling for 6 years but light was starting to appear at the end of the tunnel. This is when I decided to look for YOU.
I have always loved animals and grew up with animals but, having moved into my own place, I had not had a pet for two years. I yearned for a little friend. I was overjoyed to hear that the flat I had moved into allowed pets and I started my hunt for my special friend. This was not an easy task.
For at least four months I searched for You, my soul mate. I scrolled through numerous websites with pictures of thousands of little faces, each asking me to take them home. I visited rescue organizations with more beautiful faces, each asking me to take them home. What a terrible feeling it was to say "no" to each little face. They were all so beautiful and deserving of good homes and love. It broke my heart.
But I was looking for YOU. After many weeks of searching I emailed a rescue organization and explained YOU to them. They did not have YOU on their books. I kept on searching. And then I received an email. The same organization got back to me a week later saying that they think they have found YOU. This was the picture they sent me. Your name was Tiny Tot - it was love at first sight!
This picture told me a million words. Through it I could see that YOU were going to be my best friend. The very next day I drove to your foster mom's home to meet you. YOU waddled through the door and our eyes connected. I felt you say "mommy!"
Credit: Facebook/Mdzananda Animal Clinic
From that moment on YOU saved my life. You helped me get through the difficult time I was in and we walked into the light together. You were the first little creature that loved me absolutely unconditionally - I was perfect in your eyes. What a love that is! You taught me to love myself, to have fun, to not take life so seriously, to go for walks and clear my mind, to relax and stroke your coat, to not be absorbed purely in my own life and to rather be absorbed in you. You also taught me that it is okay to be sad at times and that you will be there with me through it.
My life changed dramatically the day you waddled through that door. Because of YOU I have dedicated my life to working for animals - helping them, protecting them and helping people to find their soul mates and experience the wondrous joy that you gave me.
Thank you Baloo for everything. Thank you for being YOU and thank you for having so much love to share. You love visiting the children at the children's home as part of pet therapy, you allowed daddy into our lives, you walked me down the wedding isle and just recently you opened your heart and home to another little furry friend - your new sister Maddie.
You are my guardian angel. I love you.
The Mdzananda Animal Clinic is made possible by IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) since 2003 and individual donors and supporters. Donations in support are welcome.
Love to all from,
Susan, Taurus and Gemini
