Fishy Something’s

By Jennifer Clark

And talk about personality! Boy were these little guys just full of it!!

Sunburst was always more on the shy, cautious side, preferring to stay in the shadows and observing. But Nite Ryda is our show-off. He swims up and ‘waves’ at us with his little pectoral fins like ‘jazz hands’. Bettas are super smart too. In no time, they both recognized their names and had ‘learned’ our routine, eagerly swimming to the top of their tanks whenever it was feeding time. Sunburst was a gentle boy who waited patiently for his food, but Nite Ryda would get so excited that he couldn’t contain himself. He’d wiggle-dance all around his tank and CRUNCH his pellets so ferociously that we could actually hear it. It wasn’t long before we realized that these little ones also craved human interaction. Nite Ryda even enjoys being ‘petted’. Whenever we work in his tank, cleaning or rearranging, he swims up and nudges our fingers until we gently stroke him, and then he happily swims away.

Fish make awesome pets – they’re sweet, cute with loads of personality!

March and April signal the end of winter and beginning of spring. April is a special month for another reason, too. The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty) has designated April as Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month. Those who care about animals are acquainted with animals like Buddy and their stories.

BY C.A. RITZ

Buddy shivers outside during cold months. In hot weather, he looks for water but often his dish is dry. You may see a frightened creature like Buddy hiding under a bush. You can’t walk up to him because he may bite to protect himself or run in front of a car if he has no leash.

There are pets like Buddy left outdoors, neglected, or chained in someone’s backyard. His chain keeps him from enough food, water, and warmth to be healthy. Buddy, whether young or old, still needs nourishment, love, and attention. If you see a pet treated like Buddy, tell an adult you trust. Write down details to give to the police or animal rescue workers.

Pets can’t be shoved in closets like stuffed animals or tossed outside till you want to play. Living creatures need food, water, cleaning, training, exercise, and love to thrive. If you’re not ready to give your time, effort, and kindness, wait before owning for a pet.

Sometimes humans get ill or so old they can no longer care for their pets. When that happens, people must choose to give them up or find help to care for them. You and your family can volunteer at an older person’s home or animal shelter. At a shelter, you can learn to take care of pets while helping them acquire skills to get adopted! You’ll need your parents’ permission, so ask first!

One day you might foster. Fostering is caring for an animal as if it belonged to you. It is not forever. When permanent owners take a pet like Buddy home which you fostered, you will have made a difference. We will always be grateful to the people who rescued and fostered our dog, Tiger, until we adopted him. He clearly had behaviors that hinted at his abusive background, but with compassion and time, he grew to trust again. Tiger became a dear companion and remains in our hearts. That’s our story. What story will you create?