Task #70 - Own A Pet

I was going to write a happy story about another task success, but events over the weekend have changed things. It is with sadness that I am reporting the death of my first pet, Harold Arthur.
 

Harry dozing on the sofa.

 

Harry was a cute little Dumbo Rat. We got Harry in October 2012 not long after I moved into a house with my girlfriend. Rach has had pets most of her life, so when she moved in with me she had withdrawal symptoms of not having something to look after. After a few weeks of pestering me, I cracked and we went down to the local pet shop just to have a look at what was on offer. This was a dangerous move, for as soon as I saw the cage of rats I knew we would be getting one that day. There were about 4 rats in the cage, each of them just sitting there nibbling on a cheese biscuit...but there was one active little chap darting around that caught my eye, and I thought to myself "I like his spirit!". Less than half an hour later we were loading the car up with a cage, toys and treats for him.

 

Harry was an adventurous little chap. For the first few days he was wary of his new home, but it wasn't long before he would be scampering around the living room like a nutter! We didn't let him roam free all of the time of course, just for an hour or so each evening. One of his favourite treats were Monkey Nuts, and whenever we gave him one he would scurry off to eat it behind one of the armchairs that he made his little den. He was also a sod for stealing crisps right out of your fingers! He became a cocky little thing and I loved him for it. It wasn't long before that spirit we loved got him into mischief though and we noticed that the laptop charger had a few gnaw marks in it. We didn't want to restrict him to only his cage so after that it became my mission to rat-proof the room by putting up little barriers to keep him away from trouble. With extra vigilance he caused no further bother.

 

Before long though further pet broodiness was brewing from Rach, this time in the form of a dog. I would therefore like to introduce you to Franklin Theodore.

 

 

We got Frank in May 2013 from a rescue centre in Sheffield and he instantly fit into the household perfectly. We got him from a rescue centre when he was approximately 2 years old. He is another spirited little guy, and loves nothing more than to snuggle down in front of the fire place to fall asleep. He is such a loving and caring dog, and is also a mischievous scamp when he wants to be.

 

Anyway, when Frank joined the house it was clear that Harry could no longer have the freedom that he used to have due to the threat that Frank may eat him, so for the last 10 months he has been largely restricted to his cage. We got a second cage so he could spend some time downstairs with us, but our regret is that he wasn't brought down often enough. He was loved though, and he loved the interaction he had with anyone that would allow him to perch on their shoulder while he "whispered" in their ear and tickled them with his whiskers. Another thing he loved to do was snuggle up to you and fall asleep. I remember one day where I was off work sick, and he spent the entire day curled up next to me on the sofa keeping me company.
 

Although he was only a small animal, he had a big personality and will be greatly missed. Anyway, looking at the positives, I can tick off this Thing To Do!
 

Harold Arthur (August 2012 - 2nd March 2014)