I’m someone who was never much of an animal person due to allergies when I was a kid. Although I did get a fish tank when I was in high school.
My question is: Since I rejoined this board, it seems there has been an exponential rise in the number of animal lovers — I’m not trolling here, I’m just asking:
did you discover your love for animals in Taiwan? Was it influenced by the fact that there are so many abandoned animals here? Or was it because you were lonely at some point in Taiwan and having an animal was a consolation? Or some other option I haven’t considered?
I really don’t mean any of this in a negative way: I’m just someone who doesn’t “get” the whole “love for animals” thing. I promise not to push your buttons, just want to get some perspective from people who see the world differently from me.
Animal lovers may indeed be sad, lonely people - and so may those be who spend time on Internet forums.
I always loved animals, and have been involved in animal welfare for a long time, but to nowhere near the extent I am in Taiwan, but I put that down to Taiwan being a great place to start becoming involved in activities or careers that you would not be able to so easily back at home.
I’s be interested to see what others have to say, but I doubt many became animal lovers after arriving in Taiwan.
Fuck hippos. I’m no weirdo. Giraffes are where its at – everone knows that. Or meercats.
I’ve always liked dugs. Had them around ever since I can remember, as me and my auld yin used to train working dogs and we usually had several at a time – labs, springers and a couple of Jack Russells to keep the rats out of the runs.
I’ve always liked animals, also. As a kid, my dream was to become a zookeeper. Worked on a farm for 8 years and raised pigs, Angus beef cattle, Belgian horses (and other horses as well, including Tennessee Walkers and Arabians), goats, chickens, rabbits, quail, and many numerous dogs and cats.
I toil now among and with humans only so that I can someday afford a piece of land with no neighbors near and settle down with my wife and a few dogs and cats.
Nope, I have always loved animals. I’ve had cats, dogs, rabbits, turtles, chickens, gerbils, snakes, and fish as pets throughout my life and have always chosen a national geographic show on any animal over anything else on TV. While the other animals came and went, I’ve consistently had dogs and cats throughout my life. I had to leave my favorite pet ever behind when I came to Taiwan in November, but the little guy will be joining me here in a few months.
I’ve always had a passion for animals. Seeing so many animals in rough shape here, when I first came to Taiwan, was not easy, and it still isn’t easy…
Reading the great work the folks with Animals Taiwan are doing in Taipei, here on the forums, led me to think that Kaohsiung strays and abused animals needed the same kind of efforts put together.
It started with one or two animals, and now nearly 100 since April 2006, and counting!
We just signed a lease for our new Foster Center, and within a month or so, our ability to help animals will triple.
