This past week has been a hard one. I went to a funeral for my partner’s grandparent which is extremely hard to cope with. While at the funeral I listened carefully to the pastor's message. He spoke a lot about time. What we do with our time on Earth defines the type of life we live. When he asked what the meaning of life was, I listened especially close. We lose all of our worldly possessions to possibly end our life with a hole in the ground, but what we carry with us is the love we have. Later on that same Sunday, we left Ada to drive up to the Tulsa SPCA.

This past Sunday was the Clear the Shelter event. We had been looking for a kitten that could fill a void in our hearts. When we arrived we found that most of the pets had been rescued. Only four dogs were left and only a handful of cats remained. Elaine and I spent a little over an hour in a room filled with cats, when this black and white kitten stole our hearts. We took him home and only just imagined what this little man would change. Jazzpurr had been in the shelter for 94 days. He had never slept in a human bed with his new moms. He had never interacted with dogs or guinea pigs. He had never had the love that we would give him. But from the minute he got home he started telling us how much he had appreciated us.

Shelter pets have it hard. Everyone wants the cute purebred puppy or kitten that people buy from breeders. Not everyone wants the black cat that is older, or the dog that has a bad hair day. But, honestly, those ones that have been left are the best pets around. Over 45,000 shelter animals were adopted on Sunday. That means 45,000 lives were saved and were given a new home. Shelter pets aren’t a hot item. People don’t want other’s seconds. But my little Jazzpurr is the sweetest kitten I have ever had. He is so happy to see me every time I walk in the door. He loves cuddles and playtime. He helped fill a void that had been so fresh.

Love is one of the most amazing gifts we can receive. Love that is pure and untainted is so rare in today’s society. I have always said if you need love get a dog/cat. Humans are usually the ones which cause us pain in our lives. My tip for you is to hug a dog, hug 20 if you need to. We need to forget the awful atrocities that permeate our lives. We need to love like dogs. We need to be open to giving our love to others. If you have ever met a Lab you know what it means to ooze with love. If you have ever cuddled with a cat, you know what true trust is. Pets must be God’s gift to humanity. Shelter pets are our way of saving an innocent life and gaining a lifelong friend. Anyone who knows me knows that I like animals better than people. Pets know when your sad and will lick your tears away. They will be the keeper of your secrets and your most trusted confidant. Pets don’t know how to be anything but loving and protective. They are your trusted partner and you are their beloved owner. The kind of love you gain from animals is more intense than anything you could feel, except for maybe a child. But your pet should be your fur child.

Give a shelter pet a chance. Trust me they will change your life for the better. Learn a love unlike others. Shelter pets know how lucky they are to have a family, and they will always show their unwavering appreciation.