What would one do when life asks you to move halfway around the world, and you have fur babies to think about?
Rondo: My family and I lived on the island of Guam, where stray dogs and cats are prevalently wandering the streets. While my husband and I were off the island, my daughters, Haley and Kayla, met a little black and white dog, and they immediately fell in love with him. Who wouldn't when the one-year-old pup followed them with his puppy eyes everywhere they went? My daughters called us, letting us know about their encounter with the dog, and my husband and I instantaneously refused their begs for us to keep him; we already had another dog, DJ, whom we had adopted a few years back. As we all know, having pets is a huge responsibility.
A few days later, we arrived back from our trip, and lo and behold, there he was: this cute little thing. Though a tad malnourished, he was adorable, friendly, and full of life. My husband and I resisted the urge to pick him up and take him in. The following day, we dropped the kids to school, and when we returned, the black and white little pup was curled into a ball, sleeping on our porch. My husband and I exchanged looks, and that's all it took; Rondo became a part of our family.
Kula: I didn't think I would ever like a cat, let alone fall in love with one. I've always thought of myself as a dog person, but when my parents started feeding a dozen stray cats and kittens in their backyard, I began to rethink my feelings. Although I was done adopting animals, my family and I got involved with a pet rescue organization, Guahan Paws 4 Pets, and became familiar with finding homes for stray dogs and cats. With the organization's help, we found homes for several cats and dogs except for one: a black male cat. We spent time with this little one, and my family immediately fell in love with the affectionate kitten. We continued to search for a home for him, but one day, my husband surprised me and brought the cat home; that's when Kula became part of our family, and I became a dog and cat lover - an animal lover in general.
Years later, we were called to move back to the States, and though we still go back and forth to the island, we spend most of our time on the mainland and had the predicament of what we should do with our pets, knowing that the commercial flights had banned traveling with pets, due to covid at that time. We had no choice but to keep them in a pet boarding place until we found a solution. We were immensely grateful for Bed and Biscuit and the former owners, Austin and Sue Harris, who went above and beyond to care for our fur babies. They, too, treated our babies like family, giving us peace of mind and reassurance about the care our pets were receiving.
Finally, we had the chance to fly Rondo and Kula home—a long journey from Guam to South Carolina. Despite not wanting them to experience the stress of traveling, I also couldn't leave them behind, so traveling they did. Now, they are safe and enjoying the love and care we shower them with. Rondo celebrated his thirteenth birthday a couple of months ago, and Kula turned three last September.
Besides our two beloved rescues, I also take photos of various animals, including insects. I find beauty in God's creations and share them by capturing them with my lens and creating art and stories. These animals are not just subjects of my photography but also part of my life, each with a unique story to tell. By this time, you can ascertain that my family and I love animals. December is animal awareness month, so I wrote about the animals in my family's life. Though many would consider them lucky to have been adopted and found a home, I consider us blessed to be a part of these animals' lives. As my late grandfather, "Papalo," had told me before, animals are angels in disguise; they are sent to us to give us comfort and unconditional love.
Whether you have pets or work with animals, I hope you find time to see the daily blessings these animals give us. For Animal Awareness Month, I hope you enjoyed reading about Rondo and Kula's Journey.
Find out more about Jennifer Senne at https://jennifersenne.com/.
Article published in The Relatable Voice Magazine - December 2024.
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