I know that pets are so significant in many of our lives. Most give us unconditional love, make us laugh, become integral members of our family, and much more. As a person with bipolar disorder (a mental illness), I’ve also experienced pets as a source of great emotional support. During my life, I have primarily been a cat or parrot owner, but I love all animals. When I see any animal struggling or injured (or dead alongside the road) it breaks my heart. The sad thing is that such observations are far too numerous. Obviously some of these occurrences are just the reality of nature, others are clearly caused by humans, unintentionally, and tragically sometimes intentionally. Though many of us wish we could end humans’ negative impact on animals, often we have to become partially numb to it, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to do some things that can make a difference. Continue reading →