My local newspaper, the Darlington News & Press, ran an excellent column entitled “Until one has loved an animal” by Dr. Bill Holland, a Christian pastor and theologian. His column runs regularly in the paper, and he always offers up some interesting insights into faith and biblical Truth.
The piece is about the remarkable humanness that animals can sometimes possess. It’s easy for us to anthropomorphize animals’ behaviors, but anyone who has owned a dog knows that they share something with us that other animals lack.
Specifically, it’s about the remarkable spelling horse Beautiful Jim Key.
Jim Key was meant to be a racehorse, but his owner, veterinarian and former slave William Key, inadvertently bred a super intelligent, affectionate creature. Beautiful Jim Key would spend all of his time with his owner, and gradually learned to communicate by placing letter blocks in the correct order. The horse could also do math and nod its head yes and no in response to questions.
This humble colt—born weak and wobbly—would even perform for President William McKinley, as well as thousands of other fascinated spectators.
Not all animals are quite as attentive and intelligent as Beautiful Jim Key (that goes for humans, too), but it is fascinating how they develop personalities and even emotional bonds with us. My parents’ two Rat Terriers frequently try to “talk” to them, and one understands dozens of words.
My old girl, Murphy, a ten-year old Bull Terrier, can convey every emotion just with her eyes, which can vary from cute and pleading—“look, I’m being sweet, give me a treat!” to sassy side eye—“look, I was being sweet, why didn’t you give me a treat?” I’m convinced she understands a good bit of what I am saying, she just refuses to ignore it because she’s stubborn.
Animals possess a remarkable resilience, too. Here’s Tom Poland on the anole, “The Miraculous Green Lizard“:
The anole can regenerate its tail (as I’m sure many at my parents’ place have done after their pups catch hold of one; one of their dogs recognizes the word “lizard” and immediately will go on the hunt). Poland notes that we don’t have this ability, but the humble anole’s stem cells might provide the opportunity for us to regenerate lost fingers someday. Whoa!
I’m not sure if I want anole DNA coursing through my pudgy fingers. What I do know is that God’s Creation is absolutely astonishing, and its marvels and mysteries are boundless. Our call to subdue and guard Creation is a massive one; spending times with animals surely reminds us of what an awesome—and fun!—responsibility we bear.
The Portly Politico 
What a lovely and heartwarming way to start the weekend. Wonderful article, Port.
God gave us dominion over the animals. But He gave animals a special spark that somehow keys in to us in extraordinary ways. Cattle ranchers, sheep farmers, those who raise hogs – all have stories about those animals with which they had singular relationships. Zoo keepers also experience these relationships. Even people who have exotic pets, like iguanas, have found that the attachments between them and the pet is often quite remarkable. YouTube is fertile ground for birds that have this ‘spark’ relationship with their owners.
But folks who have dogs are the luckiest. That’s a friend for life. Close to you when you cry, all perky and ready to go when you’re laughing and happy, as interested in you as you are in them. There’s a reason they’re called ‘man’s best friend’ – because they are.
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