My name is Shanuki, and I’m from Sri Lanka, but grew up in Canada. In Sri Lanka, I was always surrounded by dogs – my own, my uncles’ and aunts’, and my neighbors’. My siblings and I have fond memories of going on long walks around the neighborhood with our dogs, Husky, Bruno, and Ranger, and playing near the water at the beach. It was often difficult for us to go to school, as we hated spending hours apart from them. They were our friends, and companions in our crazy adventures. It was heartbreaking when we lost Husky and later, Bruno. As a young person, I learned that animals are not so different from us; they too have feelings, need to bond, to feel loved, and be taken care of. I think understanding this has helped me connect with animals on a deeper level and be more mindful of their needs. 

The lion is very symbolic in our culture – it is found on our national flag and represents bravery and strength. While I love dogs, the elephant is my favourite animal. We see elephants all the time in Sri Lanka and I’m always captivated by their presence. To me, they symbolize wisdom and fortitude – powerful creatures who are able to use their strength to overcome negative forces in their lives. 

Since moving to Canada, I don’t interact with animals as much. We don’t have any pets here, but I have many friends who have cats and dogs. Every time we visit Sri Lanka, we stay with my uncle, who takes care of Ranger. Our interactions with Ranger are always rocky the first couple of days of our visit. He is reluctant to trust us after not seeing us for years. In a few days he softens and becomes more comfortable with our presence: sniffing us, tangling himself underneath our legs, and lying on the floor in preparation for long belly rubs. These moments with Ranger are what I look forward to whenever I go back to visit. I think it’s important that young people understand and appreciate how much animals do for us – they provide us with food, comfort and companionship, security, and help us with daily tasks. Moreover, the relationships we have with animals should be a two-way street – while animals provide us with all these benefits, it’s essential we do our part to address their needs and ensure their safety and well-being.

It’s also important that young people understand that having a pet isn’t easy – it requires a lot of research, consideration, and dedication to ensuring your pet’s needs are being always met. It’s important we focus on strengthening the similarities that humans and animals share as opposed to the differences, so that we can be more compassionate towards animals and strengthen our bonds with them.