Our pets are all in the family

When Carolyn and I first got together 35+ years ago, our two incredible dogs fell quickly and completely in love. Less expected was how her Lilly (a wild kitten rescued from a trap) took to Savannah (a parrot seized while being illegally smuggled into the country). Over time we were able to leave her aviary door wide open to allow her freedom which also allowed Lilly to enter. Our parrot gently groomed the tabby’s whiskers and learned to call the cat by name. Lilly certainly kept her bird friend entertained, and the only downside was, with Lilly asleep below Savannah’s perch, combing bird poop from her fur was a daily chore.

These days I share an office with a tortoise named Clovis who wanders freely much of the time (He sort of has a “thing” for my feet, but that’s another story). My little dog Lola also spends time at work with me, and their initial meeting proved completely surprising. Clovis is by far the smaller of the two but that didn’t stop him from turning into an Army tank in pursuit of a dog who was previously unaware that rocks can run: he chased her around the room for a solid 10 minutes. But by minute #11, the roles reversed with little Lola in hot but happy chase of the surprisingly swift tortoise. And that’s where it remains, the two taking turns running at and from each other in what I am fully convinced is mutually enjoyable play.