At KAXE, we love hearing your stories. This week, we've been hearing about your first (or favorite) pet.
Here's what we heard
Andy from Brainerd texted about his favorite pet, Mr. Bojangles, a Sheltie/terrier mix. He said, "Little dog, big name. I could point my pointer finger and thumb up in shape of a gun, say 'Bang!' and he would fall dead and lay there nearly motionless until I spoke! You could not get on snowmobile or in a convertible without him 'demanding' a ride! Loved that buddy!"
Liz from Tamarack said, "When I was a little kid, we had a large tabby named Bob Cat. He would go out and catch a mouse, bring it in our porch and tuck it neatly behind the broom. Mouse, of course, would then run out. Bob would put it back. Game continued until Bob was bored. Mouse never actually escaped."
Heather Johnson, KAXE membership services coordinator, told us about her current cats, Hugs and Stu. "They are best friends, but they are also kind of the worst cats because they find all the ways to cause mischief. Hugs can sit and give high fives on command, which is kind of cool. Stu is mostly just astonished at everything all the time. Our 18-year-old kitty Gizmo, our first cat, was the actual best cat ever. She passed away right before I started working here, but she left a high bar for these two."
Janet from Grand Rapids told us about her last dog. "My soul dog was Jamey, a cairn terrier. He was my last dog, lived 17 years. SO many stories. Never felt a need for another after him."
Click the audio above to hear about John Latimer's pet crow named Midnight!
KAXE Phenology Coordinator Charlie Mitchell shared about Mugsy, "a husky/golden retriever mix who wouldn't fetch or pull a sled."
"He had the softest, most luxurious coat, always howled instead of barking, and was terrified of eagles and vultures. We adopted him during a trip to Ontario, where he'd failed as a bear-deterrent dog and was up for adoption. Apparently, he got bored at his 'job' and would swim a mile to hang out in town at the marina and ride the barge up and down the Winnipeg River as they delivered propane and lumber.
"Meanwhile, I was 7 years old and had just spent a week hanging out with my aunt Nancy's two dogs. When she left, I told my mom I was sad, 'because now that the dogs were gone, nobody would have time to play with me anymore.' We adopted Mugsy a week later!"
Another KAXE staff member, Development Director Chris Walker, described his favorite pet, a dog named Walleye.
"He was so mellow and chill, it didn't make sense. He loved people (especially kids) and loved other dogs. We don't know his history when we adopted him, but he always took comfort in being around others because he never liked being alone.
"Because of that, he wanted to share his love with anyone who was around him and that made us love a dog more than we could've ever imagined. Walleye passed away in April, but throughout his life, shared with us all the best things there are to owning a pet."
KAXE Music Producer Malachy Koons told us about Kira, who was half lab and half Newfoundland.
"She was goofy, sweet and oh so loveable. She stayed at home when I went off to college, but during the early depths of quarantining she came to stay with me in Duluth. I'll always remember meeting my parents halfway in a parking lot somewhere and Kira just ran out of one car and right into the other without a care in the world.
"She loved wading in the cold waters of lake superior on a hot day, and was the best quarantine companion for my roommates and me. I miss her!"
Do you have a first or favorite pet? Let us know!
