[Animals] Aotearoa's animals, & their humans

[_Happy boy]

Whether furry, feathery or scaly, critters complete many Kiwis’ lives. Here are the stories of some of Aotearoa’s animals ... and their humans, as told to Sharon Stephenson.

James Sullivan, 30, is a landscape designer living in a Grey Lynn, Auckland, flat with three others. He adopted his 11-year-old, three-legged cat Buddy in 2017.

I’ve always been an animal lover and had cats growing up. But it’s hard having a cat in a flatting situation. In a previous flat, we weren’t allowed pets so whenever the landlord came over, we had to Uber to a friend’s place with our cat Jojo until the property inspection was over.

Poor old Buddy didn’t have the best start in life. A friend lived next door to him in Wellington and saw him limping around the garden. He took him to the vet who had to amputate his back right leg because it turned out his owners had kicked him. My friend also rescued Buddy’s sister who now, ironically, lives across the road from us.

About five years ago my friend had to rehome Buddy because of changing circumstances. He put a note on Facebook and I jumped at the chance to adopt him. Not only because I wanted to give him a good life but he’s also such a character – the markings on his face make him look like he’s permanently grumpy. But he’s a really kind boy, almost a therapy animal. He’s so present and compassionate. He sleeps on my flatmates’ beds during the day but on my bed every night. When I come home, he’s always there to greet me and it’s like he’s trying to talk to me.

Buddy has a really loud, near constant, purr and sits on the footpath waiting for people to pat him. I’ll be inside and will hear people say: “Hi Buddy,” and stop to pat him.

Thankfully, Buddy isn’t good at catching birds, probably because of his missing leg. But he has caught three sparrows. Whenever he does, we put another bell on him. It’s quite funny watching him jingle as he hops around the garden on three legs.

Buddy has been huge for my mental health. That unconditional love you get from animals is everything. I helped him and he’s helped me.

Kate Mitchell, 33, lives with her partner on her parents’ 40-acre farm in Kaukapakapa, about 50km northwest of Auckland. She’s an award-winning professional body-builder and an account manager who works from home. The couple have 29 pets, including miniature ponies, cats, dogs, cows and a bearded dragon.

I’m 100 per cent a farm girl – I was born and raised here and will never leave because it’s my peaceful place. I did live on the North Shore for two years but always felt slightly frazzled and could never get away from other people.

In contrast, it’s like a petting zoo here with all these animals free-ranging around the property. They’re all pets and not for the dinner table, because I gave up meat when I was 5. My first pet, a cow called Midnight, disappeared one day and my parents told me he went to live up the road. But then they served me steak and it turns out Midnight had become my dinner, so I stopped eating meat because animals are friends, not food.