Those of you who are pet lovers or who have a pet of your own probably know how important it is to have a bond with your pet. I own an adorable 11-year-old beagle named Milo. We rescued him from a beagle rescue after the founder of the rescue found Milo abandoned with a broken pelvis. We adopted Milo when I was about six.
Adopting Milo was probably a miracle in itself. In addition to sensory issues, I have pretty severe anxiety — which was even more severe when I was younger. I did not want a dog to lick me or bite me — or even worse, bark at me. I could not function when a dog barked. The noise of barking wasn’t just a “normal” occurrence — it was torture to my ears. However, I got used to Milo and was even happy that we adopted him.
Now, I am so glad we have Milo. Actually, I got rid of my “I don’t want a dog around” attitude pretty much as soon as we officially adopted Milo (We fostered him for a month before we adopted him.) Milo has helped me get used to dogs, but when we first adopted him, it was an achievement just for me to pet him. Therefore, my sister — who was the one who wanted a dog in the first place — became Milo’s main caretaker and his favorite in the family.
I help out with Milo more now, and I love him so much. One thing I had never done, though, was pick Milo up — mostly due to my cerebral palsy and unsteady balance. I wanted to pick him up and hold him. I was sort of jealous of my sister because she got to hold Milo in her arms and hug him and kiss him all she wanted because she could carry him. However, I had enough trouble balancing and walking by myself — let alone adding a 16-to-18-pound dog to the mix. I was terrified at the thought of lifting Milo and then dropping him if I lost my balance. I
Family
liking
Gap