Spiritual Forums - which is your favourite animal?

For some reason I am drawn to the dolphin. They are primarily acoustic creatures with amazing sonar capabilities. Dolphins are cute, playful, unafraid of human contact, and intelligent. Unlike a lot of other creatures, these marine animals recognize themselves when looking at a mirror.

(Those semi-aquatic waddling penguins are also adorable.)

As for pets that can be domesticated, my favorites are the parrot and the pussycat.

The parrot I like for its ability to “speak.” A relative of mine has a colorfully feathered African Grey bird and around dusk it begins to really chatter away until bedtime. One time, some years ago, I witnessed it pretend it was on the telephone. It first mimicked the classic “brlingg brlingg” ringtone. Then said “Hi.” Next there were a few indistinct vocalizations. Then a “Yeah?” A giggle. And a “Bye.” (What amazed me most was that this was done in exact sequential order.) The number of words this cageling picks up is quite something. It’ll even say “Time for bed” when my relatives have, say, finished watching TV for the evening. (I once facetiously asked them if they happened to take a lot of daytime naps.)

This is a great topic. It brought to mind a long-ago acquaintance of mine who had his own serpentarium. He told me how he often would allow his snakes out to slither about.

I recall watching one documentary on animals in which it told of how in some parts of the world, people are allowed to have wildcats as pets, even in the city. It showed people with their beloved pet panthers and cougars lounging about on their front lawns. Some of the neighbors, however, didn’t feel it was safe for their small children to be playing in the neighborhood on account of this.

There was a couple I used to know who were believers in reincarnation and half-jokingly would say how they had the hope of returning to Earth as canines. Dogs, they said, lived the good life: They don’t have to work, they have human servants who love them unconditionally and look after all of their needs and who practically worship them. Their owners bathe them and clean up after them. If the path of spiritual evolution leads to becoming godlike or treated as a god, as some believe, they would often say, what could be more rewarding than to return as a family dog?

When I was a young lad, where my pals kept bunnies or hamsters, I’d always wanted a pet lamb. I like lambs because they’re inherently tame and sheepish.