Animals

If you are around me for about 5 minutes you will learn very quickly that I am an animal person. I am not a dog person, or a cat person. I love all animals! I want to own all types of different animals through out my life. I want to have hedge hogs, chinchillas, hamsters, a slow loris, and maybe even a bird or a lizard one day too :)
All animals are a part of God's creation. I get kinda ticked when people say that animals don't have souls or it's just a dog/cat or w/e other animal. Yes, it is a dog/cat or w/e animal, but it is a part of this Earth and a part of God's creation. They all personalities and they all feel. They may not feel the same emotions we feel, but I'm sure that there are similarities. I can tell when an animal loves me and is happy to be around me. I can also tell when an animal is mad, sad, scared, and/or surprised.
I do believe that animals go to heaven when they die. I fully believe that they have souls. I think that God put them here as our faithful companions to love us when we feel like no one else does. I know that Sugar, Pepper, Taz, Pixie, and Prissy are up in heaven just waiting to see my family and me. I had a dream a couple of nights after I put Sugar down, and it was me playing w/ her in heaven. It helped me get over her. If I can see her and play w/ her in my dreams then I know that I can see her whenever I want to.
There is a cute story of this little boy that is about to go through his family putting down the family dog, and the vet is asking the boy if he understands why the dog has to die. The little boy's explanation is that God put us on this planet to learn to love and to be kind to one another, and that animals learn it faster than humans do, so they don't hafta to be here on this Earth as long, and that's why they die before us. I cried when I read that  story, because it sounds true.
Animals just want to be loved and played w/ (unless it's a wild animal, they just want to survive). They all have a purpose on this Earth just like we do. They're like our little cheer leaders or our support team, which ever you prefer. When life has got us beaten down and we don't feel like dealing w/ it, a loving nudge from our wonderful pet always makes us feel so much better. I know after  long day I feel so much better when I come home and Tora is purring as loud as she can and she wants me to pet her and love on her. The earlier part of that day seems like days ago once that happens.
People that abuse animals or hunt animals down to sell tusks/horns/fur just seem evil to me. I don't get how a person can take advantage of such innocent animals and kill them for just a part. I'm okay when people shave/sheer sheep for their wool, because from my understanding it doesn't hurt them, and causes no pain afterwards. Yes, I understand they may be a bit cool after it's done, but (correct me if I'm wrong) I believe their fur grows back pretty quick. When people test on animals for certain products I'm  iffy about it. There is some testing that I'm okay w/ and some I'm not okay w/. I won't go all the way into detail, but if it harms them I'm not cool w/ it.
All in all, animals are awesome. If you don't own any animals you should at least go and buy a little hamster or two or maybe a cute little fish. If you have the time and money to get a cat or a dog do it. You won't regret it...unless you are allergic. You may regret it then. I'm allergic to both dogs and cats, but it's not too bad to where I can't own them. Tora sleeps near my face half the time, and I'm still alive :) I love that little kitten :D