Do You Have Pets / Animal Companions?

[batgirl]

I've read lots of people on here talking about their pets and animals, and how much comfort you derive from them, so I was just curious how many people have pets and what kinds. I have designed the poll so that you can vote in more than one category, as I realize some people have multiple pets. At our house we have 3 cats, a dog, and then since we are in the country, also sheep, goats, geese, turkeys and we are getting a rescue horse (a horse we are adopting that was mistreated) in 2 weeks !! OMG I am very excited about our new horse!

I think I listed every category of animal, but if you have something that doesn't fit a category, I would be very curious so please share what your pet is! I think having animals really helps with PTSD.

[nie]

I have a Jack Russell Terrier - he is cute and full of love.

[becvan]

LOL everyone knows about my Cougie and I couldn't get by without her!

bec

[nor]

If it were up to my Carin Terrier, she doesn't consider herself a dog (and I don't think we do either. lol)

nor

[Kathy]

Evie (batgirl) has already voted for our family, we are definitely animal lovers! Though I will add, since everyone else is mentioning their dog's breed, our puppy Mate is an Australian Kelpie. An amusing thing about Mate is, he adores red globe grapes. Not green or blue grapes, they must be the red globe variety! He has also been stealing my fresh baked cookies whenever he gets a chance!

[Marlene]

Dog, cat, tank of fish, snake and some rats. They rats were supposed to be food for Pookie (snake...don't ask!), but my daughter named them and figured out that if you name food it stops being food. Now they are pets.

Lisa

[hodge]

We are total animal lovers! One dog and two cats. Our dog and one of our cats are rescued. I think they definitely help my ptsd, even when my kitten annoys me, lol.

[Claire]

Wooof, woof, woof!

[ovation228]

I don't know how I would deal without my two pomeranians. They're almost always happy and extremely loving. They are crazy and make me laugh.

[veiled]

Well, I think almost everyone knows I have a house chicken, Opal :) Then my Great Pyrenees Ellie who has lasted longer than my last three marriages LOL. She helped me through those and is extremely old.

Cookie my big mutt who thinks she has to be my shadow and is overly protective of me. She is my angel when sick and is either at my feet, curled up on the sofa, or in bed with me.

And we have the cats. Harley who is young but never grew to the size of a full grown cat, though an adult still looks "kittenish". She is inbred I am pretty sure, she just ain't right. But the most lovable thing you would ever meet and follows every where so she is another shadow.

June, which is my hubby's cat even if he denies it. She is all over him and follows him while she refuses to have a thing to do with the rest of the house.

Last but not least, Precious. He is anything but precious. He is a very vile and mean cat. I keep him as no one would have him! He was severely abused when we found him and had to have extensive work and surgeries to fix him. I assume that is why he is so mean. He is nice enough to us long as we do not try to pick him up. It is very funny to see him walk through the room and the other animals will part like the waters so he has a very clear and wide path and he just strolls like nothing going on...

[batgirl]

Veiled, I hope this doesn't sound like a really weirdo question, but does Opal wear a diaper? I'm asking because this lady on one of my autism forums has pet chickens in her house and they wear diapers!! She lets them run all over the house though. I thought it was so funny, and I was wondering if that's what everyone did with their pet chickens.

[Lisa]

My mum never allowed anything more than guinea pigs and stick insects as a child, but I love animals and would love dogs and some chinchilla's!!

[kers]

Chickens with diapers? Dear god! That's hilarious.

I have one cat who I dote on. I'm convinced he's got a touch of PTSD as well. He was orphaned at just a few weeks old and never had a 'mom' to attach to. He's totally vicious--nearly killed my roommate's cat and his bites have sent me to the hospital. He just gets scared when he is held or confined (understandable to me). He also jumps at sudden noises--we have the same exaggerated startle! When I have flashbacks he comes and finds me and just sits down near me.

[hodge]

Kers, I think our kitten has some ptsd, too. He also has the exaggerated startle. Poor little guy. God only knows what the first few months of his life in the wild were like before he got to us. He's the opposite of your cat, though, in that he wants to be held and cuddled a lot!

[veiled]

Well, she uses a towel as she is a snuggle bug and stays in my lap. But yes it has crossed my mind. You would be amazed how many people keep chickens as house pets. Here is even a link to the diapers for y'all to chuckle at. www.chickendiapers.com/

[Marlene]

OMG, veiled!!!!! Thanks for the giggle so early in the morning. I laughed at the FAQ page. So serious about chicken poop! LOL You're the first person I've ever known who's had a chicken for a pet. I loved the pictures.

It makes me want a chicken now. Although I'm sure the dog, cat, rats and snake might have something to say about it. The tank of fish really could care less, though. They're pretty easy going.

Lisa

[TigerMystic]

My most-beautiful-dog-in-the-world is my cuddle muffin! She knows what "cuddle time" means, and she typically wags her tail in response to my announcing it.

This Thanksgiving, I sat down with my animals on the floor and told them just how very grateful I am for their presence in my life. I honestly don't know how I'd have made it through the rough times without them. I have no spouse/boyfriend, my son is hardly with me during the school year--I essentially live alone, except for my animal companions. And when I go to bed at night sobbing or feeling like I'm just a husk of the person I used to be, void of real meaning in my life, sometimes just 5 minutes of hugging and stroking my dog brings me relief--even a smile, especially if she licks and nibbles my ear!

Those are the times I wish I think about training her to be a therapy dog. Sometimes animals can do for a person's heart and soul what another human being can't. :)

[TigerMystic]

The tank of fish really could care less, though. They're pretty easy going.

Lisa

LOL! TOO funny!!!

[grace5555]

My dog is what is helping me survive this hell. She is a chow/rottweiler mix and will not allow any men near me. I needed her a long time ago, but she is valuable beyond measure to me now. When I am upset she is even more on guard and won't let anyone near me. That makes it a bit challenging when I am hospitalized or something. One of the reasons I can doze for a few minutes at a time is that I know she is on guard and will alert me to anything. She is God's gift in my life for sure.

[Grama-Herc]

I cave Hercules the cat. He suffers from severe separation anxiety. If he were a dog I would have been evicted from my apt. by now. He cries LOUD anytime he can not see me. That includes every time I go down stairs. Mom has a parakette and 1 fish

I also have 2 other cats B.C. and Miss Fancy Pants We lost our Lovey in May. Without my furry roomies I would really be nuts. Their souls fill my day with joy and love

[secondchance]

I loved this thread! Thanks for getting our minds on someting so positive. I have two Burmese cats. They are brother and sister. Max and Mattie. Since they are chocolate in color I call them my M&M's. Burmese are VERY vocal, outgoing cats. Smart beautiful and sweet. .Everyone that meets them falls in love. They have been my crying partners many times. I tell them constantly I love them., In return Mattie throws her head up so that I can kiss the top of it..and Max rolls onto his back so I can kiss his tummy. My husband swears he wants his "junk" kissed..i am NOT going there:):) I had a great Golden retriver but when my son returned home from college he fell in love. We now have joint custody..which means whenever he comes over he brings Tanner and we get to pet sit when he leaves town. Max and Mattie always steal his big bed from him.

[pandora]

Two cats, two hampsters...and hoping for a tea cup poodle in the very near future.

[mightsurvive]

Hi
I have two cats. I once watched a documentary about pets which mentioned that the act or stroking an animal is proven to be a stress reliever. Something to do with stress flowing out of your hands when you touch their fur. Didnt quite understand it at the time but its true. He3lps me anyway

[sunnydaze]

I have a Bishon Frise. These kind of dogs were in circus movies in the 50's. They are called clowns and boy is she. I lost 2 guiena pigs last year. We had them for 5 and 6 years. We bought them after my step-son was killed. Yes, animals can be quite comforting. You give your love to a helpless creature who totally depends on you. One pig died at 2 a.m. and 4 days later the other died at 2 p.m. Mine died in my husbands arms and his died in mine. We bought the dog right before they passed away so the dog was great comfort and still is. Animals love you uncondionally unlike most humans. When the grandson gets mean with the dog, I get very defensive for the dog. Bishon's are all white so we named ours " Marshmellow". I have alot of clothes for her. Yes, my husband and I enjoy dressing her up and taking her out. Pretty pitiful when you dress up your dog to get attention but it works.
sunnydaze

[coolgirl]

I was just watching dog tricks on a site today and it really made me want a pet. I read somewhere that they can actually help us get well by our focusing our attention on their needs instead of our own.

[anthony]

I read somewhere that they can actually help us get well by our focusing our attention on their needs instead of our own.
That is not getting well by using distraction techniques for avoidance, that will only harness PTSD to come back bigger and better within a week or two. I believe animals could have an impact though during the management phase, that I will say. Many see animals as a way to relax, so I am agreeing with you and disagreeing coolgirl, more the disagreement aspect in relation to anything that you use and knowingly do to avoid.

[veiled]

Maybe cool worded it wrong, for you as what you took it as I did not. Only cool can clarify. Pets do make us look beyond our own needs and to theirs... Like the world does not solely revolve around us and our needs. I think a pet even before management does wonders for us there. Then the ability to center us when we lose it. I would have been lost way longer than I was without my critters to pet and return nurture. I do not see them as distracting but a taste of enjoying moments for what they are like the rest of the population does daily and takes for granted.

[Miles]

I had a dog and a cat at home, I have a cat here at college for that sole purpose.

[morgan]

Anthony,
I pet my dog when I need to ground myself and that is a technique I learned in the hospital. I find this to be one of my most effective grounding techniques and so consider it part of my recovery. Focusing on something outside yourself is part of the healing process. JMHO
Take care, Morgan

[LostInTheFog]

My horse is the greatest part of my world. Just looking into the big brown knowing eyes is like a tranquilizer! He is a black Thoroughbred named Zevon. The close and healing relationship between horses and humans is an enchanting, wondrous, thing, but hard to explain. You become one, and you can fly. You learn trust, because he has to trust YOU. I do go through a lot of guilt due to the fact that many times I cannot leave the house to go see him where I keep him. I will want to go so bad, but do not move. Knowing, that when I get there, it is so wonderful, I am in my element! I do not understand that and it drives me crazy trying. Dr said there is no rhyme or reason sometimes.

I also have a fabulous dog, a blue merle Australian Shepherd/Border collie, named Silver. He keeps me laughing and feeling very loved. I think he really thinks I am his mom. Guilt too about not giving him the attention I wanted to over this last yr.

I think animals are wonderful therapy. There is even a therapy now using horses, I think EAGALA is the acronym if you want to look it up.

"Thou shalt fly without wings"~

[Chissi]

I have a beautiful Norwegian Forest Cat named Bailey. She is the love of my life.

Chissi

[sweetface]

Abandonment is my PTSD issue. Since I would not put myself in relationships for 12 years I bought my doggie Katie. I needed to love something, so she was the perfect thing. I have had relationships in the last 4 years but her devotion is more fulfilling.

[judyandsus]

I have a mini red smooth dachshund by the name of SusieQ. Named from the CCR song. She just turned ten on Sunday. I don't go many places with out her. If she isn't welcome then neither am I. She is the light of my life!