Animal quotes

Whispered

There are some really gorgeous, heartfelt and sometimes tear inducing animal quotes. I'm currently re-reading "Pieces of my Heart". There are some fantastic pieces in it, I was wondering what others favourite animal quotes are. Here are some of mine.

We can not have peace among men whose hearts find delight in killing any living creature - Rachel Carson

You run in different fields now. Effortless.
You jump and play with wild abandon. Painless.
Eternally young and carefree. Timeless.

There is a shroud over my heart. Darkness.
Days are longer and empty without you. Cheerless.
I still keep your pillow next to my bed. Sleepless.

The years march on. Ceaseless.
The memories never wane. Impervious.
I feel the moment of my fading, then...Brightness.

We run in different fields now. Effortless.
We jump and play with wild abandon. Painless.
Together for all eternity. Glorious.
- Jim Willis

The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too - Samuel Butler

And my fav of all - Another Jim Willis

I wanted white and you were black,
I wanted obedient and that you lacked.
I wanted pure and you were mixed,
You wanted her, I had you fixed!
I wanted long hair, yours was curly,
I wanted sweet and I got surly.
I wanted a girl, I got a boy,
I wanted to play, you shunned toys.
I wanted housetrained, that you weren't,
My carpet you ruined, my lawn you burnt.
I wanted tall, you were compressed,
I wanted happy, you were depressed.
I wanted clever and you were not,
You ran away, but you were caught!
I wanted young and you were aged,
I tried crating, you hated cages.
I wanted healthy, you loved the vet,
You were the most impossible I'd ever met!
I wanted this and you weren't that,
I wanted slim and you got fat.
I cried the last time I kissed
that muzzle I didn't know I'd miss.
You were as stubborn as a brick wall,
but you were the one I wanted after all

Ditch

Here's something I just found on my back up HDD. No idea where I got it from:


" Ode to a Lesser Creature :

She's in a better place now. I remember her running in the fields toward me, teeth bared by lips that are flying in the breeze in a hideous but ecstatic grin. Memories crowding out memories. How I loved her.

Mike and I buried her that night. It took us both to load her in the shallow grave he dug for her. Later I carried a bag of coins to him in recompense. He was wise enough to accept without comment.

She was only four and had just had 14 pups. 5 died. I still have 2. It was raining the day she died. Hell, it's always raining somewhere, and someone elses dog is always dying somewhere. Don't complain. You don't own them, they're just passing through.

One night I heard her singing her heart out to a passing train whistle. Every time I hear a train I think back.

She couldn't tell me all she knew, but seeing her carefree joy as she played, I realized I knew nothing, and taking her utter ardent adulation, I knew I was short of a matching gift. But she did not care. What is a love like that?

What is a love like that? Some say the dog is a lesser creature. In possession of a love like that? The brown eyes of a soft hearted dog giving their love as freely as a flower gives its sweetness to the wind. Perfect as a mother's love, full as a brimming cup. Utter and honest adulation given to a wretch like me.

If this is a lesser creature, than what are we? Lesser creature teach me, teach me. "


Not in tears yet? Ok. I defy ye to read the next one and Not break down .....

Ditch

" How Could You? "

Copyright Jim Willis 2001





" When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh.

You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a

couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. Whenever I

was "bad," you'd shake your finger at me and ask "How could you?" but

then you'd relent, and roll me over for a bellyrub.



My housebreaking took a

little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we

worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and

listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life

could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the

park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because "ice

cream is bad for dogs," you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting

for you to come home at the end of the day.



Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and

disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with

glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in love. She, now your wife,

is not a "dog person" - still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show

her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy.



Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated

by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too.

Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my

time banished to another room, or to a dog crate. Oh, how I wanted to love

them, but I became a "prisoner of love." As they began to grow, I became

their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly

legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses

on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch -- because your

touch was now so infrequent --and I would have defended them with my life

if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and

secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the

driveway.



There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog,

that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories

about me. These past few years, you just answered "yes" and changed the

subject. I had gone from being "your dog" to "just a dog," and you

resented every expenditure on my behalf. Now, you have a new career

opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an

apartment that does not allow pets. You've made the right decision for

your "family," but there was a time when I was your only family.



I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It

smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the

paperwork and said "I know you will find a good home for her." They

shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities

facing a middle-aged dog, even one with "papers." You had to pry your son's

fingers loose from my collar as he screamed "No, Daddy! Please don't let

them take my dog!" And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just

taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility,

and about respect for all life.



You gave me a good-bye pat on the head,

avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with

you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too.



After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming

move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home.

They shook their heads and asked "How could you?"





They are as attentive to us here in the

shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost

my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to

the front, hoping it was you, that you had changed your mind -- that this

was all a bad dream...or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared,

anyone who might save me. When I realized I could not compete with the

frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate,

I retreated to a far corner and waited.



I heard her footsteps as she came

for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to

a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table and

rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation

of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief. The prisoner of

love had run out of days. As is my nature, I was more concerned about her.

The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the

same way I knew your every mood. She gently placed a tourniquet around

my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way

I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic

needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing

through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and

murmured "How could you?"



Perhaps because she understood my dogspeak,

she said "I'm so sorry." She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her

job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn't be ignored or

abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself -- a place of love and

light so very different from this earthly place. And with my last bit of

energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my "How

could you?" was not directed at her.



It was you, My Beloved Master,

I was thinking of. I will think of you and wait for you forever.



May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.

The End. "


Sure. Just let them flow

Ditch

More ....?

" The one absolutely unselfish friend that
a man can have in this selfish world,
the one that never deserts him,
the one that never proves ungrateful
or treacherous, is his dog.

A man's dog stands by him in prosperity
and in poverty,
in health and in sickness.
He will sleep on the cold ground where
the wintery winds blow,
and the snow drives fiercely,
if only he may be near his master's
side. He will kiss the hand that has no
food to offer, he will lick the sores
and wounds that come in encounter with
the roughness of the world. He guards
the sleep of his Pauper master as if he
were a prince.

When all other friends desert,
he remains.
When riches take wings and reputation
falls to pieces, he is as constant in
his love as the sun in it's journey
through the heavens.
If misfortune drives the master forth
an outcast in the world, friendless
and homeless, the faithful dog asks
no higher privilege than that of
accompanying him to guard against
danger, to fight against his enemies.

And when the last scene of all comes,
and death takes the master in it's
embrace, and his body is laid away in
the cold ground, no matter if all other
friends pursue their way, there by the
graveside will the noble dog be found,
his head between his paws, his eyes sad,
but open in alert watchfulness,
faithful and true, even in death. "

Ditch

Finally; From a friend of mine, in USA:


'P. Burns, Dec 24 2006, 02:15 AM' .....


" If you stay with a dog and give it experience, in the end it will probably do the same for you.

Nothing fails a dog more than a human that will quit on it. "

kylith

Oh dear, I'm crying like a baby here. The Jim Willis one is just my dogs; They were middle-aged, grumpy, terrified of toys, and took ages to house train, but they're the best dogs in the world to me.

A couple of additions, one of the greatest truisms on earth:

"The more I meet some people the more I like my dog."- Sonny Burgess

The three best pieces of advice in life come from dogs:
1) If there is nothing to do, do nothing.
2) If there is an opportunity for fun, take it.
3) Never pass up the opportunity for a walk.

artieanna

A dog thinks: 'Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a nice warm, dry house, pet me and take good care of me ... THEY MUST BE GODS!'

A cat thinks: 'Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a nice warm, dry house, pet me and take good care of me ... I MUST BE A GOD!'

Cat and Mouse Heaven

This cat died and went to heaven. St. Peter said to the cat, "You have had a difficult life and we would like to do something nice to welcome you to heaven. What would make you comfortable and happy now that you have arrived in heaven?"

The cat replied, "Yes, life was tough. I either had wood floors or concrete footpaths to lie on. If I could have a nice fluffy pillow on which to curl up, I will be very happy."

St. Peter told the cat, "A thick fluffy pillow will be given to you, and may you rest well."

Next in line to enter the pearly gates were six mice. They had much the same conversation about a tough life. They were telling St. Peter how they were always being chased. They were continuously having to run and hide. They said they would like something to help. St. Peter suggested tiny roller skates. This made the mice very happy indeed.

After a time, St. Peter decided he would check on the cat to see if he was happy and comfortable. He found the cat absolutely delighted. The cat said, "The comfort provided by the pillow couldn't be better, and the meals on wheels were delicious!"

mosi

Mark Twain deserves a mention here

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.[/FONT]"

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Heaven goes by favour. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in."

Also, the famous Gandhi quote

[/FONT]"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

I know that someone else made a very similar quote to this before Gandhi did, but I can't think who.

mosi

I also came across this recently when I was googling attitudes to animals around the world.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldhaveyoursay/2010/07/marcellin_gasana_a_clan_named.html

Although my name is Marcellin Gasana, my clan is the Abengitori. We are well-known for its love towards dogs and I'm actually one of them - and since I was a kid I have to make sure that we have a dog in our family.
And the reason? Well, this is the story my mother told me when I was growing up.


In ancient Rwanda, people used to belong to different tribes depending on history or where they come from.

Once upon a time, an ancient Rwandan king went out for a hunting exercise. He left his wife (queen) with a servant whose responsibility was to keep an eye on the king's property.
Fourteen months later, the king returned from his long journey and found a 6 month-old baby boy in the arms of its mother.

The hunting exercise lasted longer than expected - two months - and the queen started to worry for his man. The nights were getting interminable, and the queen couldn't stand the lonely nights anymore.
She called the servant into the royal room, but the latter hesitated as he wasn't supposed to even speak to the queen or face her in the eyes. Finally he gave in and entered the room.
The servant had left the royal palace as he was afraid of being killed once the king returned.
The king had a dog called Gitori, and it was a good friend to the baby. Upset, the king immediately asked for the servant but he wasn't around.
Without asking any further questions, he grabbed the 6 month baby and ordered two other servants to take the baby to the forest and kill it.
On the way to the forest, Gitori - the baby's best friend - followed them at a distance. The king had ordered them to kill the baby but they couldn't. It was smiling with its innocent face, and this made the king's servants change their mind.
Instead of killing the baby, they just tied it to a tree. Gitori the dog was looking from a distance, and hid so that they could not see him.
As soon as the servants returned from the forest, Gitori the dog ran to the tied baby and immediately cut it loose. He grabbed it in his mouth and ran as fast as he could, reaching the king's palace before the two servants.
The king wasn't around and the queen was so saddened that she could neither speak nor get out of the palace. Gitori came in slowly and dropped the baby in the middle of the palace entrance and laid next to the baby.
The two servants the king had ordered to kill the baby arrived at the palace and found Gitori with the baby next to him.
Astounded, they just couldn't say a word. Gitori and the baby stayed there until the king returned. Gitori was the king's best dog.
When he saw them together, playing with the baby's hand in the mouth of the dog, the king just cried and took the baby in his arms and decided to give him the name of the dog.
The baby grew up as the king's son, got married, and had children who eventually got the same name of Gitori. Generations after them were called Abengitori, meaning Gitori clan.
I never understood why I was so angry against people who beat dogs, even those in street until my mom told me the story about Gitori.

"Common guys,
Let's love dogs,
They're so
Wonderful and faithful

im invisible

Some men hunt for sport,
Others hunt for food,
The only thing I'm hunting for,
Is an outfit that looks good...

See my vest, see my vest,
Made from real gorilla chest,
Feel this sweater, there's no better,
Than authentic Irish setter.

See this hat, 'twas my cat,
My evening wear - vampire bat,
These white slippers are albino
African endangered rhino.

Grizzly bear underwear,
Turtles' necks, I've got my share,
Beret of poodle, on my noodle
It shall rest,

Try my red robin suit,
It comes one breast or two,
See my vest, see my vest,
See my vest.

Like my loafers? Former gophers -
It was that or skin my chauffeurs,
But a greyhound fur tuxedo
Would be best,

So let's prepare these dogs,
Mrs. Potts: Kill two for matching clogs,
Burns: See my vest, see my vest,
Oh please, won't you see my vest