[wilted rose]

I recently came across an article where there was reference made that adoptees may be drawn to animals maybe even more so than people. Seemingly as they tend to identify with the animal, which also was taken from it's mother soon after birth to be raised in another home.
What are your personal thoughts on this?
Rose

[TxMom65]

I've never heard of that theory, but my daughter is 9 and wants to be a vet. She loves animals and wants to volunteer at the animal shelter. She was in foster care for 5 years and I guess sometimes I see a connection.

[austin0i]

Interesting. I am an adoptee and as a child I always wanted to be a vet and took in every stray and sick animal I came across.

I still do and I am 40!

Originally Posted by wilted rose

I recently came across an article where there was reference made that adoptees may be drawn to animals maybe even more so than people. Seemingly as they tend to identify with the animal, which also was taken from it's mother soon after birth to be raised in another home.
What are your personal thoughts on this?
Rose

[wilted rose]

Txmom and austin it's interesting to read your replies!
I've been giving this quite a bit of thought, I'm going to add another element to this theory. Perhaps as my daughter pointed out to me" Mom, maybe you can relate to animals so much better because they're so vulnerable"? What an insightful young woman she is...
We own a hobby farm, and I have always been partial to dogs especially. This particular one we have now we had gotten from a kennel; it had been left with it's brothers and sisters in a hamper on the doorstep of a local vet; had been taken by one family who then gave it up, so I brought it home, and I'm seeing a huge similarity in our paths...
Rose

[keds]

Sorry, my 2 cents - perhaps I relate to animals as their love is truly "unconditional". Everyone knows that an animal will stay with its owner, whether it is treated kindly or not. I know my dog and cat live like a king and queen but they do have to listen to all my woes. Of course, they show me unconditional love in return so it makes sense.

[fauxgina]

I love love love animals. My husband and I aren't allowed pets in our rented house, so I always pet every neighborhood animal that will let me close enough. I'm always more upset when animals die in films than when humans do. I do love the limitless affection and adoration I get from pets, and I can pour my heart into loving them because I know they can't hurt me purposefully. It's an interesting theory, and certainly seems to apply to me!

[heidibay66]

ok, I can really relate to that. Growing up as an adoptee.. I used to pick up stray animals everywhere. I stopped traffic on a very busy road because I was trying to get a dog out of the intersection. The police were even called. I carried an ant, a tiny little ant, around in a small box for days because I accidentally stepped on it.(I was 4 yrs old so I didn't understand it wouldn't get better.) I stopped to get an injured squirrel, after I watched it get run over, I tried to save it and couldn't. I took a seagull who seem to not be able to fly, to an area vet who takes animals that are found hurt..I wanted to run an animal shelter, kind of a home for wayward animals, here at my house. We finally just placed a bunch of cats I had taken in(10) and are finally down to our animals, 2 dogs, 3 cats, a guinea pig, 2 gheckos and three fish. Our neighbors call our house the neighborhood petting zoo and any time they find an animal they come to me. I jsut recently in the last few weeks, bottlefed a motherless, 4 wk old kitten until it weaned off of milk. Then placed it with a friend.
I never really connected my feelings toward animals with the fact that I was adopted..
WOW.I can can see that now.

[tikiboo33]

This is a very funny thread... I actually love animals a whole lot more then people and i am not afraid to admit it.. LOL...
my husband makes comments all the time telling me that i am either an animal or my real birthmother wasnt human she was some type of animal.
I cry when i hear animal stories, i cant kill bugs,i go up to dogs all the time and hug them, and if i see a stray cat my first thought is "oh my god i hope hes not hungry,lost or cold!!!"
My favorite channel is Animal Planet. I could sit all day and just watch show after show after show.
I have also stopped traffic in order to save a small dog from running into the street...
I wonder if it does have something to do with being adopted.

[ocracoke]

I have always said that all of my mom's kids were strays - several dogs, 100s of cats and 2 daughters. She loves animals (especially special needs) and adopted 2 girls. My uncle is a vet and adopted 1 girl. I am adopted and I love animals but I am picky -- love cats and some dogs - depends on how high maintenance they are. My daughter (also adopted) also loves animals but was deathly afraid of them at 21 months before she came home to me.

Samantha

[SallyLF]

Animals are my saving grace, always have been as far back as I can remember. Had it not been for my dog and horse I would've been the lonliest kid in the world, even though I had lots of friends and popularity in school.

And it's the same now, though I am decades older. My animal's well-being means everything to me. Awhile back a bunch of us were talking about what we'd want to be in our "next life" and someone said they wanted to come back as one of my horses. What they were saying was they wanted a life where someone cared about their every comfort and happiness.

I think, as adoptees, we need to feel that unconditonal love, at least I did. Though I am very happily married to a man who is also my best friend, my animals save my life a little bit, every day.

[fauxgina]

Originally Posted by SallyLF

Had it not been for my dog and horse I would've been the lonliest kid in the world... someone said they wanted to come back as one of my horses. What they were saying was they wanted a life where someone cared about their every comfort and happiness.

I completely agree. Animals provide me with companionship in a way that humans have never been able to do--not even my husband. I love him very dearly, and can talk to him about anything... but I feel I need an animal into which I can pour my love and adoration and know that it will always be appreciated.

[wilted rose]

It's great to see so many responses, lots of common denominators? Lately I've been weighing the role of vulnerability in my life and how there have been emotional shifts over the years. I think part of the reason I relate so well to animals, especially dogs in my case is I feel I can be one hundred percent vulnerable with them and I experience no anxiey or fear, just unconditional support, and faithful love and consistent presence...

Great posts, guys!!
Rose

[belleinblue1978]

Well I'm going to be odd man out. I don't really like animals that much. Ok, I LOVE guinea pigs, but the rest, take 'em or leave 'em. I don't like needy creatures and to me that is what animals are. I can't tell you why, just know it is the truth for me.

[Dickons]

Animals don't reject you, people do. Animals have been a large part of my entire life.

Kind regards,
Dickons

[specialk4b]

Hmmmm.... I also love animals. I like my dog better than I like most people.

I will say I feel for how needy she is. She was turned out on the street, pregnant with a golfball-sized tumor on her leg. She's really very attached to me and gets very anxious when left alone. I think I relate to her attachment issues.

I think she grieves her lost puppies sometimes too. I don't know exactly why, but she just loves other puppies.