They are more than just pets

Quite a number of studies have documented on human-animal interactions and its benefits resulting from positive bonding. It was found that children who have pets were more loving, caring and responsible. Animal therapy was also found to be useful for the elderly in improving their quality of life, and also helps to control hypertension and heart problems.

Awal Ramadhan yang lalu, saya membawa pulang tiga ekor anak ayam serama saya ke Taiping. Usia mereka baru beberapa hari, jadi tidak sampai hati nak ditinggalkan. Ibu mereka kurang sabar dalam menjaga anak, suka patuk2 sampai berdarah. Pernah saya biarkan bersama ibunya, anaknya mati dalam masa seminggu. Jadi, saya usung saja, tiada masalah.

Bila tiba masa untuk pulang semula ke Kuantan, mama kata tinggalkan saja anak-anak ayam tu, biar dia yang jaga. Nanti raya nak balik semula. Saya tahu mama memang nak bela ayam serama tu lama dah, tapi saya yang buat-buat lambat sebab saya takut dia rasa susah.

Saya pun tinggalkan anak-anak ayam bersama mama. Tiap kali telefon, mama akan bercerita anak-anak ayam dah besar. Mula tumbuh bulu. Manja. Seronok tengok mereka berlompat di atas rumput di waktu petang. Mama sanggup ke kedai membeli makanan ayam yang 'special'. Niat asal nak bagi ayam tu kepada pakcik macam dah tak jadi, sebab mama nekad nak bela. She feels sort of relief watching the chicks growing. Whatever makes her happy, I am all into it. 

Pagi tadi, seawal 7.00 pagi, mama telefon. Sounds worried, she said that two of the chicks were gone missing, and the third carcass was lying dead in the cage. Anyhow, the cage door was closed. Cause of missing and death is still unknown. Kesian mama, she lost her pets...

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Teringat kisah Rasulullah dengan Abu Umair, seorang kanak-kanak. Abu Umair mempunyai seekor burung kecil diberi nama Nughair. Jika bertemu dengan Abu Umair, Rasulullah sering bertanyakan perihal Nughair si burung. Suatu hari Rasulullah dapati Abu Umair sedih dan menangis. Rupanya Nughair telah mati. Rasulullah cuba menghiburkan dan mengembirakan Abu Umair dengan bermain dan bersiar-siar bersama.

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A pet was dead. It might seems nothing for us. But for a child it's a big thing. Same goes with anyone who has developed the human-animal bond. It's easy for us to say, 'tak payah lah bela binatang. Menyusah saja.' It might be true for us. We have jobs to settle, offices to run. We meet people everyday. Socialize. We have husbands or wives to entertain. Kids to raise. A busy household to manage. Oh what a hectic life. But for a lonely lady, like mama, it might be a totally different story... A little pet could means a lot...

We will never truly understand, until we ourselves become one lonely man...