Who Was Your Most Beloved Pet?

Pets can be a huge part of our lives. They're quick to deliver an enthusiastic welcome when we come home, they're there for us when we have a bad day, and they only judge us when their food dish has been empty for too long. They quickly become a part of our family, valued companions who have a huge impact on us for however long we're lucky enough to have them.

We've been discussing our pets in the AfterElton breakroom this week and the hot topic has been: Who was your most beloved pet?

Brent Hartinger

Talk about Sophie's Choice! I could never decide! But I can take this opportunity to mention my CURRENT cat, Thibadeau, who is sitting on my lap as I type this. How gentle and affectionate is he? He purrs just from the movement of my forearms from typing! He's 18, which is like 115 in cat years, but he looks FANTASTIC (I think he might be gay). Sure, he's a little crankier than he was five years ago, but then, um, it's possible that I am too.

Seriously, here's a picture. Admit it -- he doesn't look a day over eight!

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Christie Keith

My most beloved pet was my dog Colleen. I spent most of the late 80s watching my friends die of AIDS, one after the other, sometimes more than one in the same week, usually lingering and horrible deaths. With every one, I found it harder and harder to feel much of anything. I was young and had zero experience with anything this huge and horrible, and had responded to the epidemic like it was a short term emergency instead of a permanent sea change in our world.

I ended up leaving San Francisco, basically cutting off all my friendships, and pretty much curling into a ball and being unable to function. My dog Colleen was the only emotional connection I maintained during that time; I often say she shoved her furry paw into the rapidly closing door of my heart, forcing me to keep it open just a crack. Just enough for her.

I'd adopted Colleen in 1991 from my local shelter, when she was around 2 years old. She was a chow mix, red and shiny, with a plumed tail that curled over her back, and heavy black Cleopatra eyeliner. I used to brush her every day until her shine was blinding. She came with me everywhere. She slept on my feet. She protected me a few times when I was out late with her, and I would have taken a bullet for that dog. She died at around 15 years old, and I have missed her every single day since then. She was my most beautiful girl.

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Ed Kennedy

My family was never really into pets: I had a hamster, some hermit crabs, and some fish, but nothing I could cuddle or play with. So when I moved off campus in college I went to the pound and found Sebastian, a boxer mix, and fell in love. He was remarkably smart and friendly. It worked well until I left college to enter the Air Force, and mom and dad didn't have a fenced yard to keep him until I'd make it off base.

Dad found him a farm, miles from the nearest road where he could run and chase bunnies and squirrels until he was exhausted. As a bonus, the farm came with a little boy he could call his very own, who had time to throw tennis balls for him. We used to go up and visit Sebastian a few times each year, and we'd take him a fresh can of tennis balls. We'd just give him the can though - part of the game was getting the top off the can and getting them out, and at least two in his mouth at once.

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