Awsome real-life pets you seen

[Seaiayu]

by awsome i don't mean most cats and dogs, but if the pet saved someones life (or even toy) feel free to mention him/her. I mean more unconventional pets, when you hear my story you'll understand what i mean.
I was walking down gearge street one summer when i stopped at the fountain to watch the dogs nearby (i don't have a pet currently due to lack of money ), when i noticed one that seemed different. She was completly white with yellow eyes, and she drank differently, kinda put the side of her mouth to the water and slurped instead of the usual lapping most dogs do. I went to her owner and said "excuse me, but is that an arctic wolf?" Turns out she was. Her name's Alaska, she's afraid of little dogs, friendliest pet iv'e ever met, and catches rabbits and small rodents when at her doghouse home. plz post you wonderful 'amazing pet encounters' for us to enjoy. thanks!

[Mania]

Many years ago I had a young Argus monitor who needed a new home. After searching in my area, I finally found a couple who lived a few hours away who were both willing and eminently able to adopt her. (They had several Arguses already, a large outdoor area for them, plenty of expertise with the larger monitors, etc.)

When I went to their house, I was greeted at the door by ... a tiger cub! Turns out they also did basic human socialization for zoos around the country. They'd foster cubs for a few months to teach them not to hurt humans, not to react badly to strangers, stuff like that. They told me that most of the 'training' was actually accomplished by their three dogs. Anyway, since this particular cub was at the stage to learn about not mauling strangers, they asked me to spend a bit of time with him (under their close supervision). Basically all I did was sit there, but it was still an amazing (and unexpected) experience.

[Karathyriel]

Way back in time, in the early to mid 70's, my uncle ran a pet shop.

With one delivery, he got a tiny alligator he didn't order but since noone ever came to pick him up, he sold him.

The guy who bought the gator brought him back when he was getting to big to be kept in a tank. And the alligator was sold again and came back for the same reason over and over again. I was little ore than a toddler back then but I remember the aliigator.

My dad thinks, Alfred (that's what my uncle called him) was about 7 feet in length before my uncle "donated" him to the local zoo.

Since my uncle had all kinds of exotic pets, I kind of got used to spiders, snakes and the like.

[Gala]

When i was living in Argentina, i met an older couple that had a pair of huskies, i think. Absolutely gorgeous. Whenever we ate lunch with this family, the dogs would jump up, front paws on the window sills, and would just smile at us. Or what i interpreted as a smile. I noticed one day that the larger ones eyes were a bit....funny. Glazed, and were always moving by themselves. Turns out this dog was blind.

The amazing part was that this dog had literally memorized the floor plan of the house, and was still able to get around just fine.

I was totally befuddled by this. I knew dogs were smart, but memorizing an entire floor plan? Granted, this was not a large house, but when you think of walls, furniture, heights of tables, etc etc, thats kind of a lot to remember.

[Teigan]

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[Rhyela]

Many years ago I had a young Argus monitor who needed a new home. After searching in my area, I finally found a couple who lived a few hours away who were both willing and eminently able to adopt her. (They had several Arguses already, a large outdoor area for them, plenty of expertise with the larger monitors, etc.)

When I went to their house, I was greeted at the door by ... a tiger cub! Turns out they also did basic human socialization for zoos around the country. They'd foster cubs for a few months to teach them not to hurt humans, not to react badly to strangers, stuff like that. They told me that most of the 'training' was actually accomplished by their three dogs. Anyway, since this particular cub was at the stage to learn about not mauling strangers, they asked me to spend a bit of time with him (under their close supervision). Basically all I did was sit there, but it was still an amazing (and unexpected) experience.

I am incredibly jealous of you right now. Tigers are my favorite animal and the closest I'll probably ever get to one is at our local zoo.

[zedxrgal]

I've owned A LOT of animals over the years all of which were my children. A lot of exotics like snakes, lizards etc. Most rescues or animals I'd taken in and some even away from abusive owners.

One of my favorite animals was my beloved dog Bogie who had made an impact on everyone he came across.

Bogie was my pitbull /mastiff mix. I got him from a gal who was giving the puppies away at 7 weeks. This dog was huge and a massive wild child making the house into a race track. Bogie weighed 120 lbs by a year old. Well at about 16 months old I noticed he was acting really odd. Not the usual rowdy self and energetic and seemed to be favoring his front right leg. I took him into the vet and they did an x-ray to see if maybe he'd got a fracture. Nope. Tumor. My heart sank a little. It was immediately decided that for Bogie's sake the leg be removed. After all a 3 legged dog is just as good as any four legged dog and it would hopefully stop the progression if it came back that the tumor was malignant. 6 Weeks later and Bogie is acting like nothings changed and he's still racing around. Vet couldn't believe how fast he healed. The bad part is all the blood and biopsy work came back (finally) and the news was more then heart breaking. The tumor was malignant and there was cancer cells in his blood. We worked to give him chemo therapy. It slowed the progression but in no way stopped the cancer from spreading. Just when we thought it would be gone another small tumor would pop up. This whole time Bogie remained in good spirits and was still very playful. Amazing how happy a three legged dog going through chemo could act like nothing was wrong. His strength kept us going so did his willingness to fight. Sadly weeks before he turned two years old nothing more could be done for Bogie's cancer and I made the crushing decision to have him put down. I almost went crazy with grief. The vet and staff shut the office down for a day in mourning. In his two years Bogie made a huge impact on anyone he came across simply by his being a 'disable' dog that never once knew he was disabled. As I type this now I feel my throat beginning to choke up and little tears filling my eyes even though Bogie passed away well over 10 years ago. Bogie's spirit has never left me. Never will.

[Dakonic]

Well we used to own a Neapolitan Mastiff, most people that saw her, didn't think she was a dog. A little girl called her a monster once. lol
When I was young we had a American Pit Bull Terrier names Tonka, well we lived on 10 acres and I decided to wonder off without telling anyone. (I was 6) Tonka followed me, we played in the stream for a while and wondered off again. Then I saw a coyote, I was told they didn't attack people so I just walked the other way. Then I heard paw steps and turned around expecting to see Tonka running up to me. The coyote was charging towards me, he got about half way to me and Tonka came from the side of the coyote and plowed into him just before he got to me. They got in a scuffle that lasted a couple minutes and the coyote finally gave up and Tonka let him go. Tonka came up and licked me on the face, tail wagging like nothing happened. (took him to the vet, no rabies! )
I miss him.

My current dog Dakota has saved me and my other dogs before. He has been a wonderful dog from day one, eager to please and a quick learner.
Well I was taking my three for a walk at the park. Tazzy, toy poodle (9lbs), Buddy, Miniature Dachshund(10lbs), and Dakota, German Shepherd/labrador mix (85lbs). We were walking down the trail next to the pond and I saw a lady walking her Great Dane off leash. I didn't think much of it since I saw her reach out towards him as if she was putting a leash back on. I looked down at my little guys and I heard feet hitting the ground and a growl. Looked up the Dane was right in my face and grabbed Tazzy's back hair(Thank god I didn't clip him before I left!) I yeleld and hit the Dane but he wouldn't let go, I caleld to the owner who was walking up as if nothing was happening. Tazzy was screaming and the Dane was shaking him. Dakota (who has no aggression towards other dogs) grabbed hold of the Dane's neck and started to shake and growl. At first it didn't work, so I was sitting there in awe unable to do anything. Dakota let go jumped back and went full speed into the Dane and they both went flying and the Dane dropped Tazzy. The owner was still standing there, she had an almost happy look on her face. So I said "Would you grab your f**king dog.", she glared at me and grabbed the Danes collar and I called Dakota back. She later tried to sue me for vet bills because of the huge gash my dog left on her dog's neck. Thank god and off duty cop saw the whole thing, I didn't have to pay. Tazzy was unharmed, just missing some hair and now lashes out at big dogs, so no more dog park for him.
Second time I brought Dakota in our front yard to play frisbee. Our front yard is only 4 feet so we never keep the dogs out front unsupervised, they stay in the 6 1/2 foot fence(backyard) when we are gone. Well I threw the frisbee to far so I got out of the yard and went to get it. He was sitting quietly in the fence waiting for me. I bent down to pick of the frisbee and heard a growl and looked up to see a Labrador Retreiver snarling at me, he had his hackles up and was showing gums. So I slowly stood up and backed away, then he lunged for me, I jumped back and he grabbed my shirt. He started shaking me like a rag doll, I was hitting him, kicking him and screaming and he would stop. I heard a fence jingle and more feet and growling. I thought I was done for, I though the other lab was coming for me.(the used to roam out neighborhood) It was Dakota though, he grabbed the top of the labs head and started to shake it and tear at him with his front feet. The lab let go and the two of them were going at it. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of yellow, I looked and saw the other lab running towards the fight. I got up as fast as I could and kicked it just before it got to Dakota. Then it went for me, grabbing my pants and shaking. I guess Dakota saw it because he left the other fight and got the other lab off me. He had two on him now, I knew I couldn't get them off so I ran into the yard grabbed my bat and smack the larger lab over the head. Didn't do much at first be he left after the 5th hit. I looked for Dakota and the other lab, they had ahold of each other and were shaking. I hit the other lab over the back several times before it let go. I called Dakota to me side and told him to stay. One of the labs came forward again so I charged at it with the bat in striking position and they ran off. I ran back into the house with Dakota and called animal control. They came and took both the dogs, and fined the owners for letting them run free, and not licensing them. The dogs were later put down because they tore a chunk off one of the workers at the shelter.
Dakota had a couple gashes, so I cleaned them up a bit and took him to the vet. She said he would be fine and just cleaned out the wounds and bandaged a couple. He was only 8 months old when that happened, both labs were over a year.
Oh and we got the frisbee back.

[Rhyela]

My goodness, you seem to have really bad luck with other dogs! That typically seems to deter people from getting their own but I guess it's a good thing you have Dakota. Wow.

[kamoodle5]

A year ago, I found a beautiful dragonfly alive on the ground. It never intended to fly away or scamper at all when I picked it up. As it turned out, it was nearing the end of its life. This was in October so it made sense it was late in the season or that's what my dad told me as to why it was dying. I decided to bring it inside just to keep it safe until it did die. On the first day when its colors still bloomed with life, I took a couple photos of it. I did try to give it some water, but it never drank. After it died a few days later, I buried the poor thing in my backyard near where my small garden is now. So, I guess you can say it was my pet for a little while.

Here's a couple pics of it:


This was the most beautiful dragonfly I've ever seen up close. Its blue was just astonishing, and I love blue. I've seen other dragonflies in my backyard before over the years, and I think it won't be long until they come to visit again. Plenty of times I would see them sit and relax on the top of the radio antennae on my dad's car during those times.

I've learned that dragonflies have the best sight of all bugs. They can easily see things 40 yards away (120 feet). That's why they are the most dangerous predators for pesky bugs like mosquitoes. Speaking of mosquitoes, both them and dragonflies are born underwater and the dragonfly larva eat the mosquito larva.

[Mania]

Wow -- that dragonfly is huge! (And also gorgeous!)

[Saturo]

I saw a hawk up close almost three hours ago. Stunning bird. It looks ferocious, intelligent and agile. I loved it.

[Nevyc]

I used to work for the San Diego Zoological Society (not in any kind of keeper capacity). The SDZS is the organization that basically runs the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. Anyway, I remember one random Saturday morning going to work at the Wild Animal Park and watching two the trainers/handlers walk a cheetah on a lesh alongside a Yellow Lab in a back-of-house area, and literally walking right by the Cheetah. Just after, I remember thinking how amazingly close I got to a top predator, and just how close I work with them everyday.

The power and grace of the big cats (even if the cheetah is a smaller one of them) is utterly incredible.

[Teigan]

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[Nevar]

Wtb in-game dragonfly pets for WoW pst?

[Jadvya]

I volunteered at our local wildlife rehab center this past year, and my favorite patient was a blind pelican. He didn't have a name, but my sister and I called him Ray Charles. XP He wouldn't run away from us like all the other pelicans, 'cause he knew people meant fish. So when he heard us he'd toss his head back and open his beak, and we'd toss fish in there. Either that, or tap them on the side of his beak, and he'd snap them up. He was a real sweetie. In the same pen was a Muscovy duck we dubbed "Psycho Duck", as when we walked into the pen he'd run right up to us, make this adorable panting/hissing noise while wagging his tail, and bite the backs of our pants legs/shoes. Both are in permanent residence; Ray can't feed himself, and Psycho Duck was named a public menace.

About 5 years ago they also had a baby deer named Tripod; his leg had gotten tangled in barbed wire and had to be amputated, so he could never be released back into the wild. So the owner kept him, and he was very sweet, we could walk up and feed him apple slices and pet him. Absolutely adorable. >w<

[kamoodle5]

Wtb in-game dragonfly pets for WoW pst?

^Word.

Also a mosquito wouldn't be so bad. If Rayman already had a pet mosquito, why not us?

[Mania]

I volunteered at our local wildlife rehab center this past year [...]

That is so cool. I love to hear about critters who have survived and adapted even though they've had some hard times. I have to say, though, that I've never heard of a duck being named a public nuisance.


Ooh, speaking of wildlife rehab, remind me to tell you my alligator story sometime! Summary: shifting a manual transmission with a 4-foot long alligator in the passenger seat is .. interesting.

[Saturo]

Ooh, speaking of wildlife rehab, remind me to tell you my alligator story sometime! Summary: shifting a manual transmission with a 4-foot long alligator in the passenger seat is .. interesting.

Need. Story. NOW!

[zedxrgal]

Ooh, speaking of wildlife rehab, remind me to tell you my alligator story sometime! Summary: shifting a manual transmission with a 4-foot long alligator in the passenger seat is .. interesting.

Need. Story. NOW!

I'll second that.

This may also call for my story when I was pulled over for swerving because my 3.5 foot monitor was trying to crawl into my jacket.