"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened"
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened" Anatole France, the Nobel Laureate in literature in 1921, cannot be wrong. I have no idea whether he has kept an animal, but I firmly believe what he said is true. As we moved to a new house not far from where I was born and brought up, I took many things with me that I held dear. It includes various collections, such as books, stamps, coins, letters, tools, plants, and the like. However, it was not easy to leave behind many of the domestic animals we grew up with, like goats, rabbits, chickens, cats, a dog, and countless wild ones. However, it has been a rustic idea to introduce chickens, ducks, or rabbits to our backyard in a newly settled neighbourhood. There was no proper fencing in place to enjoy the status of a nice neighbour. Nor did we like the idea of raising them in confinement. But the idea that there must be some animals living around us, sharing our yard, began to knock ...