A year ago today, I had to say goodbye to my best friend of twelve years, and it was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my life. I tend not to do many personal posts on my blog, but I can’t write this list without telling you about my gorgeous dog, Dilly.
Growing up, I’d always wanted a dog, but our house was too small and our backyard was basically non-existent. When I turned fourteen, we ended up losing our home to the council, who bought out our street in order to demolish the houses and build even smaller new ones. My parents were devastated because they couldn’t afford to buy another place of their own and had no choice but to rent. The only upside to not owning our own home was that the rented place was bigger, had a garden, and the landlord allowed pets. Given the incredibly difficult year we’d faced, my parents finally decided that adding a dog to the family would bring us some much needed happiness.
she was by my side through high school, college, and university! |
We always knew we were going to rescue a dog. Both my parents had grown up around rescue dogs and all of us agreed that we’d rather give a dog a second chance than go to a breeder. After a few potential adoptions fell through, our local rescue centre ended up with a young mixed-breed who had been abandoned by her previous owner, was underweight and scared of new people. But we completely fell in love with her. After a few visits, we brought her home and named her Dilly!
my favourite partner in crime |
When rehoming a rescue dog, it’s always going to be a bumpy journey, but we got her weight back up and she settled in perfectly. Despite being scared of strangers, she was affectionate with us from the very start, and was running to introduce herself to new people within just a few weeks! It was amazing to see how much she developed in those first months. It completely baffles me that someone would give up on a dog so young. The selfish part of me wishes her former owners could have seen the incredible pet she became as part of our family, but the rational part of me knows that they don’t deserve to.
Dilly gave us twelve years of the happiest memories we could have wished for. She was lucky enough to go through life without any health problems and she barely even slowed down in her old age. At the end of her life, she developed a quick-growing tumour that caused her no pain to the point that we didn’t know anything was wrong until just a few days before she passed away. We were lucky enough to say goodbye to her at home. She carried so much love for everyone around her that she even though she couldn’t stand properly in her final hours, she still smothered our wonderful vet in kisses. That was the kind of dog she was.
I’m so glad I had the chance to welcome her into my life. Pets can bring us so much joy, and they love us unconditionally. They really do become an extra family member. In honour of her, I wanted to share my favourite fictional pets whose stories wouldn’t be the same without them.
(Half of these are cats because apparently YA books love cats)
Bieber from Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
Golden Retriever, need I say more? He’s the thing that Leah loves most about Simon, and I don’t blame her. I was only a little disappointed that Movie Bieber was different to Book Bieber because Movie Bieber was adorable in his own way.
Church from any of Cassie’s Shadowhunter books
No Shadowhunter series would be complete without an appearance from Church. He’s always lurking around somewhere, helping out in his own way. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if we ended up with a series purely about his adventures.
Chainsaw from The Raven Cycle
The bond between Ronan and his raven is one of the most adorable aspects of The Raven Cycle for me. She shows us the softer side of a character who, at first, comes across as cold and intimidating. But Ronan would do anything for her.
Spike from The Mediator Series
One of the first fictional pets I fell in love with. Spike is a ginger fluffball with slight anger issues, but he’s wonderful all the same. He becomes Suze’s accidental pet, but I can’t imagine him not being part of the story.
Hedwig from Harry Potter
Could you ask for a more loyal pet than Hedwig? She’s by Harry’s side from the start of his Hogwarts journey as a vital part of his life in the wizarding world. Ultimately, she gives up her life for him in what is quite possibly one of the most devastating deaths in the entire series. WAS THERE ANY NEED, MS ROWLING?
Angus from the Confessions of Georgia Nicholson
I very nearly had Hedwig as my favourite, but I’d be lying to myself. Angus is by far my favourite fictional pet. These books literally define my teen years, and for the longest time they made me pester my parents for a cat. This series really wouldn’t be the same without Angus. I remember my heart actually skipping a beat when he ended up in danger. I think we all need an Angus in our lives.
BONUS
Makkachin is THE BEST BOY. No question about it.
These are just some of my favourite fictional pets. I know there are plenty more out there, but these are just the ones that have stuck with me the most. Pets can be just as important as any other character!
Before I go, I want to give a quick shoutout to my local rescue centre for all of their amazing work. Rehoming a dog can be an incredibly difficult job, especially taking into account what some of the dogs in centres have been through. But every dog requires work, so if you are thinking about getting a dog, please consider rescuing. There are so many dogs out there who need families to love them and give them a little bit of patience to find their paws in life. It’s been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
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