INSPIRING STORIES OF FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS

Animals are awesome. My whole life I've been a huge animal lover; dogs, cats, horses, birds, even lizards. I adore the creatures God created for this world. Animals enrich your life in ways you can't explain. They love you with an unconditional love few humans are capable of. They trust you implicitly. They know when you're sad, and they always, always cheer you up! Statistics also show that pet owners are healthier and happier than people who live without pets.

My favorite book of a relationship between a person and animal is Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand.

Seabiscuit: The book

This is a non fiction book based on the true story of how a undersized and underestimated race horse with crooked legs became a legend, and in the process healed the heart and broken spirit of Johnny "Red" Pollard, a man once abandoned by his family in times of great poverty. Red becomes Seabiscuit's jockey when Charles Howard, Seabiscuit's owner realises that horse and man have very similar tempraments - they're both rebelious, unruly and always ready for a fight. If you haven't seen the movie version of it yet, do so! It's incredibly touching, and one of my all time favorites. Starring Tobey Maquire and Jeff Bridges.

Seabiscuit: The movie

Some other really great books about humans and their animal friends that you might consider reading:

Marley & Me: Life and love with the world's worst dog by John Grogan

Marley & Me - The Book

As I'm sure you know, there is also a movie version starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston to check out.

Marley & Me - The Movie

My friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara

My Friend Flicka

I also highly recommend the movie Flicka - based on the novel but replaces the pratagonist with a young girl instead of a boy.

Flicka

From Baghdad with love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava by Jay Kopelman with Melinda Roth

From Baghdad, with love

Animals are amazing, and they are the inspiration of so many great stories. If you're in the market for a new pet, please consider adoption! I know taking a newborn puppy home is an amazing feeling, but there are so many abandoned animals who need new homes and lots of love. PLEASE! Visit your nearest shelter and adopt a pet who will give you just as much love and joy as a newborn.

Here are links to adoption sites for South Africa's Wetnose:
Dogs:
http://www.wetnose.org.za/category/adopt-a-pet/dogs
Cats:
http://www.wetnose.org.za/category/adopt-a-pet/cats
Horses:
http://www.wetnose.org.za/category/adopt-a-pet/horses