So, there doesn’t seem to be much by way of wild animals here (at least in Santiago and on the coast) unless you count the dogs. This is the one thing about Chile that really gets me. They don’t have animal rescue programs that help to spay and neuter animals the way that we do so it is very normal that there are dogs (and sometimes cats) just wandering around the city. They are often dirty and hungry and some of them have the sadest eyes I’ve ever seen. But, sometimes you find them playing with each other or trying to interact with a human (although this is rare and they are pretty much ignored by people).
It takes every ounce of my willpower not to try to pet them. Most of them seem pretty relaxed, but you don’t know if they have fleas or if they are going to bite. What I can’t help is talking to them. I realize that the natives, probably including Seba, most likely think I’m crazy. I just can’t help it. I LOVE them. Well, dogs in general. But especially the ones that give me the sad puppy eyes. I can’t help myself!!!! I spent a little time the other day contemplating how many I could fit in my suitcase…
Anyway, aside from dogs and cats, there are also lots of birds. There are even pelicans because we are so close to the ocean. (Check back because I’ll post a picture of one of the pelicans if I get the opportunity to take one.)
I was expecting small rodents of some kind, like squirrels, and it seems that there aren’t any. It’s a shame cause I love them too. I’d really like to have a chipmunk, like the one that lived in the middle of the quads at Roberts. But, I’m not going to find one here. 😦
Aventuras Mías 