Shujaa Means Hero in Swahili. I Adopted an Elephant
Two years ago, I became the adopted mother of an African elephant, and my boy’s name is Shujaa, which means Hero in Swahili.
Now that I have your attention, I'd like to share with you my passion for elephants. Aside from living and breathing my passion for domestic animals, I also have a soft spot for wild creatures, particularly whales, wild horses, and elephants.
Ode to Leila - Life Lessons From My Feathered Friend
I was a bird virgin. Never in a million years did I think I would have a bird as a roommate. For most of my life, I’ve identified as a dog, cat, and horse person. Mammal-to-mammal relations were my thing.
I met Leila on the last day of a therapeutic pet training at an animal sanctuary in southern Utah. We were touring the exotic bird department, and my ears rang from the cacophony of noises. Even though we were in the desert, it felt like the jungle. Parrots can be loud and intense creatures. We were greeted with screeching hellos and deafening enthusiasm.
Animal Reiki: When Energy Speaks
Sometimes we encounter things that change our lives.
For me, some of these life changes have not been immediately apparent, as was the case when I began studying Reiki.
Initially, Reiki was what I consider a " nice" activity. I was grateful to have it in my toolbox to fall back on. I became a Reiki master and gradually began to incorporate Reiki into my healing work with pets. Little did I know how important it would become for many of my animal clients with serious health issues.
The Bestest Boy
Pablo was about to become a statistic. Why, you ask?
He survived a few weeks in California's shelter system. Pit bulls and chihuahuas are the two breeds most commonly euthanized. There are too many of them who are unwanted and get discarded.
Pablo’s life was saved because he was young, handsome, and had interesting markings — and he is still good-looking.