I am a gigantic sucker for a sweet animal-saves-human story. Even the suspect ones where the animal was probably just doing what comes naturally. It probably all began in my early years – doesn’t everything? I watched quite a few cartoons as a kid that featured dog-human child relationships. The dog was usually somewhat feral or maligned by society in some other way. Almost every episode included at least one scene where the child was in danger and the dog came to his or her rescue. My favourite of all was called Belle and Sebastian.
Did anyone else watch that? I didn’t miss an episode. Here is a clip of the opening to jog your memory. Gosh, I miss that show.
Anyway, many of my childhood fantasies revolved around meeting some sort of wild animal in the forest and forging a bond. Sometimes it was a wolf, sometimes a tiger, sometimes the animal was more mythological in nature. I didn’t have an imaginary friend as such, but I had lots of imaginary pets.
To this day, stories of animals risking their lives for their human friends, and vice versa, give me the warm fuzzies. This is the main reason I had to share a recent infographic put together byMoneySupermarket.com. Animals have impacted all of us and sometimes that impact actually saves our lives. To me, it doesn’t matter if this was the dog’s – or pig’s or dolphin’s – original intention. What matters is that our lives are clearly connected. We have more in common with them than we think.
I hope it makes you smile as well.
I have never heard of that show. I was always a Lassie girl myself
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I had to stop by today Kristin and congratulate you on being named one of The Top 100 Pet Blogs to Follow…What a great honor! Saw you on the list over on Fidose of Reality
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You should post a warning at the top of the post telling everyone to read this before applying non-waterproof mascara.
Interesting message from the universe since I’m writing about empathy today. I loved reading about empathetic parrots, pigs, and elephants today.
And thanks for the Belle and Sebastian clip. I’m a fan of the band and have been curious ever since I heard an interview where they talked about how influential the show had been on all the members.
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I have books and books with stories like that, they are always so touching. I just read one about a dog who actually clawed and chewed through a wooden door to save his family from a house fire. And another about a cat who had a friendship with the family’s pet canary, they even cuddled together. When the owner one day found the canary dead, she assumed the cat had given into her instincts, and scolded her and shooed her out the door. Later, the woman realized the canary had died of natural causes. Late that evening the cat came home with a live baby bird, and placed it gently at her owner’s feet and backed away as if to say Here, I know you miss the bird. Will this make you feel better?
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We should be more like animals and then this world would be a better place.
It’s interesting that the most popular pet – the fish – is also the least likely to save anyone!
I love stories like the ones shared here!
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Great post! I love the story about the dolphins.
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I was definitely the same as a child… wishing that I’d have an animal sidekick! I also love these stories. I went to the Purina Hall of Fame Induction ceremony last year… I was balling my eyes out; these kinds of stories are just so amazing, it’s impossible not to have an emotional reaction. That, or they laced the place with onions….
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Hi Kristine, that was really nice. My dad remembers Lassie and the Littlest Hobo from his early days. He says that he’s a sucker for that stuff too.
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I never heard of that show. Love the graphic! I’ve heard several stories of dogs dialing 911 as well. So many good reasons to have pets!
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Love the graphic Kristine, thanks for sharing. I’ve never seen the show you mentioned but I had many imagery pets when I was growing up much of whom resembled a big brown bear:)
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I wish I could have a pet… sadly my fish always end up dying on me. Perhaps in a few years if I get settled down, a pet or 2 may be in store for me.
OH MY GOD YOU REMEMBER BELLE AND SEBASTIAN!!!
Literally nobody else in the world that I know does!
I’m embarrassed that I’ve never tried to look it up on Youtube or something (though Hulu has/had The Mysterious City of Gold, which I also watched); evidently I can watch it en francaise. I’m sure there’s English as well. I remember watching the marathon on Nickelodeon when it was cancelled.
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Wow…those were all just amazing, and I had only heard of a few of them, like the dolphins and the gorilla. The pig and the elephant both really surprised me! I know they are both very smart animals, but still….wow.
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Hi Y’all!
Don’t know the show you mention, but my Human said to tell you that your article gave her the warm fuzzies.
Y’all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
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I really enjoyed this infographic – I haven’t seen it before. Thanks for sharing.
The elephant one particularly interesting.
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