My New Home

There I was...sitting in the pet store feeling unloved and unwanted. Most of my litter mates had already left me. These nice people would come in and pet me, but they would pick one of my brothers or sisters to take home with them. You see, I guess I am what you would call a "runt". Homer and Jethro are really big guys and they were still in my cage and they always picked on me and took most of the food. I couldn't help it I was so little...I was born that way. Anyway, one day this really nice lady came into the pet store. I could tell when I looked at her she really liked animals. I came out of my corner, and smiled at her. She looked in my direction, but I quickly realized she wasn't looking at me, she was looking at those noisy parakeets on the shelf next to me. I watched as she picked out a bird and started to walk away. I was so sad. I yipped a little at yet another rejection. She stopped. She turned around. OH MY, she was coming over to my cage. I had to straighten up FAST. I looked up into her soft brown eyes. She was smiling and talking so gently....TO ME!!! She put her finger into the cage and I ran over to nuzzle her with my nose. She said something to the clerk, but I couldn't understand what she was saying. A minute later, the lady in the red vest took me out of the cage and handed me to the nice lady. She cuddled me and cooed and said really nice things. She told me she really liked me and asked me if I would like to come home with her. I chuckled with delight...I was finally going to get a home. After a long time she started to put me back in the cage. NOOOOOO, PLEASE TAKE ME HOME WITH YOU! I tried to hold on to her, but I ended up back in that cage with Homer and Jethro. They started teasing me, "See," they said, "No one wants you...you are just too small." I went over to my corner and just wanted to hide and cry. I didn't know why she didn't want me. A few minutes later, that clerk in the red vest came over a put a sign on my cage. She said, "Well little guy, it looks to me like you found someone to love you. We're gonna miss you." Homer couldn't believe it. He's older than me and he can read. The sign said; "ON LAYAWAY FOR KERRI S. - SMALLEST PRAIRIE DOG." Well, I knew I was the smallest one, but I didn't know what "layaway" meant. I stayed in the cage with my brothers for the next couple of days. Then, Kerri came back to see me. I was moved into my own cage (but I was put right next to my brothers so I wouldn't be lonely). She brought me presents. PRESENTS FOR ME!!! I was sooooo happy I couldn't stop yipping. She brought me a blanket and a toy. But the best present of all was she gave me a name. "I'm going to call you Mischief,'" she told me, "because somehow I think you have a lot of it in you." She took me out and played with me for a long time. She told me that I would have to stay at the pet store until she got paid. Then she would take me home with her. She promised to come and see me everyday. And she did. Each time she came, she brought a little treat or another present for me. I loved her and started calling her "MOM". The time flew by. Homer got a home and Jethro got put on "layaway" too. But his new mom never brought him any special toys to play with.

Finally, one day while I was sleeping, Jethro called over to me and told me to look at the cash register. I stood up so I could see. My mom was there. WOW you should have seen all the things she was buying. There was a big, 3-level cage, a ceramic bowl, a water bottle, a purple leash and harness and all my favorite food. Was all this for me? Jethro sneared at me and said, "Looks like you've hit the big one!" Then she came over to the cage and scooped me up in her arms. Gosh, it felt so good to be in her arms. "I love you, Mischief," she cooed. I liked the way that sounded. "Are you ready to go home with me?" Mom put me in a box, but I was okay with that, because I knew when she opened it, I would have a new home.

I knew we went outside, because I could smell the fresh air and the flowers and the grass. Then we were moving, but we weren't walking. I could hear this loud noise in the background and it was kind of bumpy. But I wasn't scared. I kept thinking of my new home. I knew Mom already had a bird, but I was use to them from the pet store. After a while, we stopped. Mom took me inside and left me in the box while she went to get my cage. I got a little scared because I smelled all kinds of new smells. I could hear Mom talking to me, telling me it would just be a bit longer...she wanted to get everything ready for me. Then she opened the box and took me out. I leaped into her arms. I admit, I was getting scared. She put me into my new home. I found the blankets and toys she gave me at the store, and some new things too. I had a clay pot with new blankets to sleep in, several chew toys, a rope....while I was exploring, all of a sudden a big furry face looked into my cage. He smelled funny. I hid in my bed.

Mom quickly came to my rescue. "It's okay sweetie, that's just Barney. He won't hurt you." I peeked out, but I wasn't so sure. I pulled my blankets around me and stayed put. I guess I fell asleep, because when I looked out again it was dark. I could see pictures on a square box and lots of voices. Mom was right there on something I found out was called a couch. That Barney guy was there too. He just looked at me and yawned. Mom saw I was awake, and she put her fingers through the wires. I wanted to go over to her and let her scratch me but Uh-uhhh No way!! I wasn't moving. I went back to sleep.

Mom was up early the next morning. She came over to my cage and checked on me. I yawned and stretched and she laughed. I think I felt a little braver. I let her take me out of the cage. I just wanted to be close to Mom. I knew she wouldn't let anything hurt me. We were on the couch and she was letting me run around a little, but she wouldn't let me get too far from her. I just wanted to get on the floor and explore everything. All of a sudden that furry-faced Barney was right there. I ran back to Mom, and tried to hide. She took me and put me close to Barney, never taking her hands off of me. She told me he was a Maine Coon cat and that he was really old and she promised he would never hurt me. He just sniffed at me. I sniffed too. I looked at his feet and saw that my claws were longer than his. Then he walked away like he was bored. Then Mom introduced me to Amie. She smelled a lot like Barney, but her face wasn't as furry. She was a Domestic Shorthair cat. I noticed she walked funny. Then I realized that she only had three legs. Mom also let me meet the birds. Yeah there were two of them, Tobi and Tyler. I thought they were going to drive me crazy with all the noise, but they haven't been too bad. There was also a small furry thing in a plastic cage. She called it Taffi and I quickly realized it was a Teddy Bear Hamster. There was also this big tank of water with lots of fish swimming around. All of a sudden, I had a family. I was pretty proud.

As I got a little older (and braver) all I wanted to do was get out of the cage and run around. There were so many things to chew on. You know, electrical cords, furniture, phone cords and I could tell there were many places to hide. Mom was onto my ideas right away. She wouldn't let me out of her sight. We didn't see eye to eye on the chewing thing. Everytime I tried to chew on something, she said "NO". In fact, the first few weeks, I thought my name was "NO!" I was always doing something I shouldn't.

One day she brought out that pretty purple harness. She tried to put it on me...WAIT A MINUTE...I thought that was something to play with. I didn't want to wear that thing, and I kept wrestling away from her. She was too persistant. Somehow I ended up with that thing on me. I still don't know how she did it. We ended up making a deal. I had to wear that thing if I wanted to be allowed out of the cage. Well, darn it. I enjoyed being out of the cage, so I gave in. Jethro and Homer would tease me relentlessly if they knew about this. Actually, once I got used to it, that thing wasn't so bad. But as soon as I did get use to it, she added the leash. Now this was going a little too far. Everywhere, I ran, I had to drag that leash along. I couldn't hide from Mom because the leash would give me away. I tried to chew it off, but it didn't work. Mom told me if I learned how to walk with her on the leash I would get a nice surprise. Okay, I like surprises.

Well, Mom kept her promise. One day when the sun was bright and the birds were singing, she took me outside. Now at first this was quite a scary place. Lots of people came up to me to say hi. It got to be a lot of fun. There was dirt to dig in and fresh grass to chew. Then there was another surprise. Mom opened a door and sat down. There was a weird round thing in front of her. She did something and I heard that loud noise again and we started moving. A car...that's what Mom called it. She said it would take us to see some old friends. I sat on Mom's shoulder with Mom's hand on me the whole time to make sure I didn't fall (even though I have long nails it's hard for me to hold on) and I could see everything moving past us. There was a loud noise...that's when I ran off Mom's shoulder and hid in her purse. When I came out, things looked familiar. It was the pet store where I use to live. I wondered if any of my old friends were still there. Those nice girls in the red smocks all came over to greet me. They told me they missed me. I stood up and smiled at them. I admit, I was showing off. I wanted them to see how grown up I was now. Mom bought me some treats and we said goodbye, but they made us promise I would come back and visit again soon. I was surprised at how many strangers came up to play with me. I realized that day that people can be really nice.

I don't mean to brag, but I am kind of famous. I was on TV. Yep. Those people from KOMO-TV news in Seattle were really nice. I tried to act shy, but I guess I am really a ham. Before long I was doing silly things in front of the camera. Mom recorded the news that night so we will have it forever.

One of the pet stores we go to now, is going to start selling Prairie Dogs this spring. The manager asked Mom and me if we'd like to do demonstrations so people can see what I am like. I think this means I get to show off again. I enjoy being the center of attention. Mom is going to make a display with some pictures of me and write up a fact sheet. She gets to tell all about me and answer any questions people may ask. I have the easy part - I get to sit there and be cute and meet lots of people.

Well, I have been living with Mom and my family for almost a year now. I gotta tell you, that furry faced Barney tuned out to be a pretty cool guy. And Amie isn't so bad either, except I don't think she likes me too much. One day while I was roaming around the livingroom, under Mom's ever watchful eye, I found these really great toys. I don't know why Mom didn't tell me about them before. Barney and Amie were sitting in front of the glass door. These long furry things behind them kept moving back and forth. I ran over and started chasing them. Amie ran into the other room taking one of them with her. I thought it was mean of her not to share her toy with me. Barney just looked at me. I don't think he wanted to share either, but I was persistant. He jumped up on the couch, taking his toy with him. HA, I can get up there real easy, I thought. I followed him. Boy, that toy was really moving around now. It was fun to chase it. Every once in a while I even caught it. All of a sudden he stood up and hit me. "NO FAIR!!!" I squeeled. Mom saw what he did to me, but she didn't yell at him. All she said was "You guys have to learn to get along." Gee thanks Mom. Tell him to share his toys with me.

Barney doesn't live with us anymore. I knew he was old and he got real sick. Mom cried a lot when he left. I heard her tell her friends that she had him for 16 years. I tried to cheer her up by doing all the cute silly things I know she enjoys. I was glad I could make her laugh again. You know what? I miss Barney too. When I try to play with Amie, she runs away from me.

I have a pretty great life! I was one of the lucky ones. I was born in Texas and while I was still very young some people took me and my brothers and sisters out of our den. I don't remember a lot about it. But I do know that many of my relatives are endangered. A lot of my ancestors were killed in awful ways. I don't think too many people know how special we are and how bad some people treat prairie dogs. We are very social animals and we stay with our families even after we grow up in "towns". I try not to think about my real family too much. It makes me very sad.

I just know how lucky I am and I know there are other lucky prairie dogs out there too, who found good homes. I only wish there were more.