Incredible India monthly contest of May by @sampabiswas | Emotional bonding with animals

On this occasion I am participating in a contest held by @sampabiswas on "Incredible India's monthly contest for the month of May by @sampabiswas "Emotional bond with animals." Continuing my previous entry, I would like to invite my friends @rossnenye, @josepha, and @bonaventure24 So that they would like to participate in this contest.

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For anyone who has a pet, of course, they have a motive and purpose for it. It could be because it is a hobby, for pleasure, or for investment or business purposes. Various tastes also have various pets, starting from birds because of their voice (chirping) or the color of their feathers, to keeping chickens can also be taken for their eggs or meat. If it is just a hobby or affection, there are dogs, cats, or rabbits. As for fish because of their beautiful color or shape, sometimes there are those who are associated with luck factors. Or there are those who are considered extreme because they are ferocious such as monkeys, iguanas, crocodiles, snakes, even tigers.

Apart from all that, keeping a pet that you have certainly requires patience, sacrifice of both money and time, and of course what is right in your heart. Because you like it so much, it is not uncommon for there to be a "special" relationship between us and the pet without realizing it. It is not surprising that in some cases, sometimes there are those who say it beats the relationship between wife and child.

Likewise with me. At that time I decided to keep rabbits, the reason was quite simple besides I really liked them, keeping them was also not too difficult and expensive. In addition, it was supported by a fairly large yard, the grass supply was abundant so that it could save on food, and the droppings could be used as fertilizer. After the cage was ready, I bought a pair of male and female rabbits, about 2 months old, a local type.

I took the local one because it was not expensive, matured quickly and was medium in size. As has been mentioned many times, rabbits will grow quickly and when they are big they can be resold or for personal consumption, their meat is taken. I myself was involved in keeping them, from feeding them to cleaning the cage. Because the yard was quite large, I sometimes let them out to be able to find their own food while watching them run around, it was very cute indeed. My nephew who was still small at that time was also quite happy just to see or stroke them.

Rabbit growth is indeed quite fast, within seven to eight months it is already an adult. Without realizing it, the rabbit that used to be small already looks big and ready to mate. Because since I was little, there is a close relationship between me and the rabbit, there is an emotional relationship between them. When I feed it, the rabbit quickly approaches the kale that I give. When I let it out in the yard, the rabbit will approach me even though it uses a voice, because it is already a routine as if we know each other. Sometimes I also stroke its body and it is quite tame, the Javanese term is lulut.

It didn't feel long before the pair of rabbits had given birth, there were about four of them born. On the other hand, it turned out that I decided to go to Jakarta to look for work there. Automatically had to leave the rabbits. Some suggestions from the family were to sell them or slaughter them to be cooked later. This last suggestion created a dilemma for me. Understandably, because I raised them from small to large, it seems that there is an emotional closeness between me and the rabbit, there is a feeling of not having the heart there, especially if it ends up eating them.

The occurrence of emotional relationships between pets and their "masters" often occurs, there are many stories about it. When I was little, I remembered the fairy tale of a dog that saved his master's child from a snake. There is also the film Hachiko which is based on a true story, how loyal a dog was waiting for his master to arrive at the train station. So loyally waiting until the dog finally died even though his old age never came. Not only that, in some stories there are people who feel sad and even cry when their pets are sick or die.

Emotional relationships can occur because of a special closeness, because the basis is indeed a sense of affection. If animals are treated well, with patience, and affection, they will reciprocate well and vice versa. From the stories of handlers or trainers of wild animals such as tigers, leopards, lions, crocodiles and others, if treated well, the animal will be tame and easy to train.

Finally, the fate of my rabbits found a middle ground solution, a farmer who is my brother's friend was willing to accept them. With a heavy heart, I let go of the pet, I hope that the rabbit can be cared for well. After that, even though I had a “close relationship” with the rabbit, I never found out what happened next. I just believed that the rabbit would be treated well, that’s what –maybe– made my heart calmer and relieved. From pets through the rabbit, I learned that animals sometimes have the same characteristics as humans, as if they have feelings and a conscience. So it’s true, as recommended in religion, we must treat all of His creations well and love them, including animals, let alone those that are intentionally kept.