【講師コラム】ハーヴィー講師No.2～Sometimes the best medicine is unconditional love from your pet～

Hi! I’m the new Englishbuds teacher, and I will shortly share with you a part of my life as a fur father to three fur babies.
Since then, my family and I have genuinely enjoyed caring for pets. But, due to my
grandmother’s house rules, we wouldn’t have been able to have one until last year, in 2019.
In 2019, the year before the pandemic occurred, my older sister decided to become a fur mother to a mini pincher whose name is Flashy. She talked to our grandma and made her understand that she would handle the expenses as well as the possible mess Flashy might cause in the house herself.
Months had passed, and then the pandemic occurred. Since we couldn’t get out because of the imposed quarantine regulations, we had more time to spend staying in the house with our pet, Flashy.
It is the period when my grandma started to realize how wonderful having a pet can be. She noticed how adorable Flashy is whenever he runs out of our small living room and jumps into her chair. She also gets happy when Flashy stands up and leans on her knee to ask for food or to be petted. She also thinks it’s cute when our dog stops and stares at us at random times. Yes, our dog does that thing.
Basically, my grandma fell in love. And not just only her whose heart has been captured, but also the rest of the family in the house.
So, my parents and I decided to adopt two more puppies from our relatives, namely Chico and Bolt, resulting in the house having three cute and playful fur babies.
Because my older sister and parents are both preoccupied with work and other responsibilities, I am the only one left to care for them, making me their fur father. I always bathe them once a week every Saturday morning, feed them at night, play with them, and sometimes walk them around our neighborhood.
We also take turns taking care of our pets with my younger sister. My older sister will also volunteer sometimes to walk them around the neighborhood whenever she’s available.
Some people might say that the most difficult and challenging part of having a pet is taking care of them, which includes feeding them, bathing, them, taking them for walks, etc. But I’d say that it is actually the most exciting aspect. It might require a serious commitment for both time and energy, but seeing them wag their tails, jump with excitement in their faces, or get excited when you are near them reconciles all those challenges.
After all, their love is the only thing they could genuinely offer. And it’s the kind of love that never fades and will last forever, no matter what.