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It was a cold, dark, hopeless, January night in the small city of Fairview. A super blue blood moon was visible in the sky.
A group of three girls gathered together bowing their heads in grievance. Saying goodbye to a lost friend, they shed wet tears of sorrow.
They lied the coffin in the dirt and buried it, never to be seen again. To end the service “God Be With You ‘Till We Meet Again” was sung in honor of the lost.
Courtney Cook, Ariel Valko and Megan Booher said goodbye to Booher’s beloved fish Laquitia on the cold January night. Laquitia was murdered by Chenequa, another fish. An honorary meal of pancakes was shared after the services.
Even though just a small fish died, it shows how emotional connections can occur between any owner and pet.
“Pets are beneficial because they give me emotional support,” sophomore Danielle Houghton said. “You can go home and be stressed and they will sense it. Holding them, loving them and playing with them releases that tension. My dog has really helped me through life.”
Both Houghton and her food have been sneezed on multiple times when her dog has become excited. In one instance Houghton was playing with her dog and ran into the door frame which resulted in a broken toe.
“My dog is special,” Houghton said, “I love her unconditionally.”
Animals have played a major role throughout human history. Animals have provided food, companionship, clothing and transportation.
Within the last few hundred years the role of animals has changed somewhat. There has been a significant increase of people who keep animals for pure pleasure. Animals are a big part of the lives of NS students, and 89 percent of students own a pet.
“A man’s best friend” usually indicates a dog and its human. 52 percent of the students at NS own at least one dog.
“I love my dog Oreo; she is my little girl,” freshman Rahnee Mackey said.
Other students at NS have a different take on that idea, and they own a variety of different pets.
Freshman Abbi Mikkelson owns a hedgehog. A hedgehog is named for hiding in garden hedges and grunting like a pig.
“l got a hedgehog because they are really tiny and cute,” Mikkelson said. “[Hedgehogs] are nocturnal, so at night I like watching it run around and play with its toys.”
Halley Madsen has been riding horses for the majority of her lifetime. The past year Madsen and her horse Stormy have joined 4-H and have learned how to ride English style, meaning they learn to jump and side pass.
“My horse and I have a very close personal relationship,” Madsen said. “We both really trust each other in a way.”
Although she hasn’t competed yet, she hopes to in the future. Madsen continues to increase her relationship with Stormy.
Twice Madsen has been thrown off her horse; instead of fleeing from fear Madsen fought and got back up. One time Madsen and Stormy were crossing barb wire; Stormy stepped on the wire and took off running, which threw Madsen off the back of the horse. With the trust she has built with Stormy she has been able to right back on the saddle.
“It was scary falling off, but even when I fall off I get right back up to try again,” Madsen said.
Other students like Lauren Miller didn’t quite choose their pets. In this case people learn to animals in a unique way. The Miller’s cat chose to live on her family’s porch.
“There is a cat that lives on our porch,” said Miller. “His name is Karl and he’s very fat. He just waddles around. My little sister feeds it, so it just stays around.”
