Kiwi As Pets

It is no myth that pets are good for the soul & help relieve stress & isolation.  A long standing tradition is for humans to be empathetic & need some companionship, even if that companion is just waiting for you to feed them in the morning & night... no I am not talking about marriage.

Dan the goat man, from Purakaunui, takes his pet goat Alex around Potato Point to go camping.  Photo: Stephen Jaquiery, full article: Otago Daily Times  Alex Kidd the goat, has been house-trained, car-trained and boat-trained and to Dan not much different than owning a dog.  Often they will head out camping together or go on walks through the town.

NZ has a lot of sheep, they outnumber the population to a large degree to the point NZ often has the highest density of sheep per unit area in the world.  For 130 years, sheep farming was the country's most important agricultural industry, but it was overtaken by dairy farming in 1987.  So having sheep also as pets was a common tradition.  Lambs often display entertaining bouncing skills as they leap and frolic.  So giving them the opportunity to bounce some more & encouraging them with a large sheep sized trampoline is where they get to develop those skills to bouncy castle levels of glee.

The NZ police are increasing the furry fellows with some camera loving companions, including Snickers the cat who has his own instagram account.

As well as Tia who has joined the team in Porirua. Alternative article link: NZ Herald.

 

Who is stepping into big shoes as Constable Elliot, the police guinea pig commanded respect and love of the locals.  Quite appropriate as the police can have stressful jobs and often need to interact with the community they protect. It helps to have a furry greeting at the door.

Snickers manning the front desk.

There are animals you seek to protect & visit often but you do not own them and leave them to be wild but supported.  The Department of Conservation NZ, DoC, offers protection for a variety of native animals across NZ and keeps an eye and open live stream on the albatross nesting colony.

Rangers check the weight & health of the chicks, offer support in times of water stress and record new births to assess the colony health & numbers.  Albatross mothers & fathers take turns with feeding & on the nest with the chick until they are big enough to be on their own.  Shown above is Ranger Mike helping mother and chick cool down during a rather hot period as heat stress could kill them.

Then there are the times when you cannot have a pet, do not feel the need for one but an animal has chosen to attach itself to you as you may be the one needed.

How a duck fell in love with a bloke from Te Kuiti by Newshub

Paul has formed an unlikely bond with Pete the duck when the paradise shelduck laid eyes on him and decided he was the one.  "I don't know what it is, he's quite protective over me," he told The Project.  "If anyone else comes near me, particularly women, he has a go at them."  To which one of the presenters mentioned, "Paradise ducks, well known fact, mate for life. Paul face it, you are married".

It is these kinds of connections I save to show hubby, because humour and an occasional smile is also good for the soul.  So for a mental cuddle, here is how the relationship of one gay goose and a bisexual swan was the loving relationship of a lifetime.

Excerpt from the BBC article, (follow link for further info):
It all started around 1990 when a black swan named Henrietta flew in to the Waimanu lagoon, located in a small town on New Zealand's Kapiti Coast.  Due to a damaged wing, she was unable to fly with the other swans and was often alone until a few years later when a white goose named Thomas arrived.  The duo quickly formed a bond and Thomas was very protective of Henrietta, even scaring off any humans or dogs that came near her.  But after 18 blissful years together, a new young female swan entered the equation and was often spotted with Henrietta. No one thought much of it, assuming that they were both females.  The shocker came when the new swan laid an egg. It turned out that Henrietta was in fact a male swan who had mated with the new female swan.
"It's very hard to establish the gender of mature black swans," said Michael Peryer, the tour guide at the Waikanae Estuary where the lagoon is located.  "So it turned out in fact that Thomas and Henrietta - who was really a Henry - had 18 happy gay years together."  They stayed together for many years after that and Thomas helped raise the signets.  Only when Henry died did Thomas go on to have his own offspring with another goose and when Thomas died he was buried beside his Henry.

 

  BBC Article on Thomas, Henry and Henrietta

Tribute to Thomas life, epitaph by New Zealand performer Pinky Agnew inscribed on his tombstone:

Here lies Thomas, the great-hearted goose,

Nestled near Henry, in their final roost,

Here where they raised young, and found sanctuary,

Somewhere above us, these great souls fly free.