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Greetings Steem Venezuela community. Virtually everyone has come across animals at some stage in their life. Animals are indeed wonderful creatures. This is a great topic and I am glad to be participating.

Which one(s) are your favorite animals? Indicate why

Cats are my favorite animals. The reason is because of how cute they look. They are very adorable. They are also very domestic and easy to train. It doesn't cost much to train them. They are not too demanding to take care of. They are very playful.
Cats just have a way of keeping you company and being the best companions

Do you have pets at home? How did they come into the family? What are the reasons why they are not taken care of?

Luke, my cat

Yes, I do have a pet at home. Some time ago, a friend of mine had a cat that gave birth to several kittens. Knowing fully well that I loved cats, he gave me one of the kittens on my birthday as a gift. It is one of best gifts I have received.
My cat's name is Luke. He always wants company. He loves being around people. Sometimes he disturbs a lot, sometimes he stays quiet. He is also welcoming to strangers.

Cats are not taken care of because people in my country don't really fancy them as pets. Most times, what we see are wild cats that are left on their own to fend for themselves, that is, if they are not killed. Some people attach superstitious beliefs to cats.

Furthermore, most people don't take care of pets because they don't have the time to do so or they don't have the resources and financial ability to do so.

Do you know a street animal in your community? Let's talk about it

Yes, I do know a street animal. There is this stray dog around where I live. No one owns it. At least, no one has claimed ownership over it for years now. It fends for itself. It roams around, most times looking for food. It looks very malnourished and sick. Sometimes people give it food, sometimes people chase it away. No one has considered taking it in. It is not a violent dog. Most times, it goes through refuse to search for food.

Is there a foundation that provides care for animals in your community, show us how to reach it through What3Words

Unfortunately, there is no foundation like that in my community. Maybe it is because the people are not so interested in taking in animals as pets.

Share a story about any animal you have met

I will talk about my uncle's dog. My uncle got the dog when it was still a puppy. It was cute. As a little dog, it was very fond of me. Whenever I would visit, it would run to me and give me a warm welcome. Now, the dog is all grown up. It is very fierce and is no longer fond of me. It is locked in it's cage most times. Sometimes, it is let out of the cage, usually when kids are not around. It actually consumes a lot of food, and barks a lot.
The dog is a security dog. It is usually let out of it's cage at night to roam the compound. It obeys my uncle very much.

What are the possible benefits and risks of having a pet at home ?

Benefits

• Pets keep us company. They take away the loneliest. The are excellent companions.

• Having pets around makes children develop that sense of responsibility. The children learn grooming and how to take care of things.

• Keeping pets like cats helps get rid of rodents.

• Having pets like certain dogs around makes you feel safe.

Risk

• Taking care of pets can be a difficult task. They pose a risk to the elderly. An elderly person with balance issues could get pushed down by a pet.

• Pets could harbor certain bacteria or viruses that could infect humans, especially those that have a compromised immunity.

• Pets can also elicit an allergic reaction in their owners.

Conclusion

Animals are great companions. Most times, people grow so much attachment with their pets, and it's a beautiful thing. We should do more to protect animals as some animal species are on the verge of extinction.

The photos were taken by me using my Tecno Pop 5 pro device

I am inviting @ugochukwuprosper, @goodybest and @dayographix to participate in this contest.