House of caring

Who would ever imagine that just a regular house nearby the city Kuldīga could contain such a surprise? I wouldn’t. So you can picture my astonishment when I first entered my classmates house and literally found myself in a zoo. The house was full with all kind of animals - I noticed two dogs, a lazy cat, a slowly moving turtle, a cage with several noisy birds in there, a cage with cutest little hamsters and other with rabbit inside. And I haven’t mentioned all pets. Oh, there are many families with lots of animals, you might say. I agree. But the most interesting thing about this particular family is that they not only take care of their own pets, but they also give home to the homeless ones, who have experienced the cruelty of life and human nature, by finding themselves alone on the streets without food and caring hands.
There are thousands of abandoned animals every year in Latvia. Usually they get help from organizations that help lost animals find new homes. But it’s pleasing to know that also citizens are concerned about this issue. “This all started when we moved into this house, called “Priedlejas”,” tells the hostess, Dace. “We decided that a house isn’t really a home when there isn’t any little cute creature in there. So we bought a puppy. And look how it all turned out.” she laughs. Dace and her husband Ivars bought the house in late nineties. They were tired of the city, besides they wanted their kids, Zane and Jānis, to grow up in the country side. “As kids go to school and we both work in Riga, we are on wheels a lot, but we don’t complain, because nothing compares to this privilege seeing and feeling how the seasons click.”
After a puppy, kitty came, after that all the rest animal family members. Zariņu family now have six dogs, tree cats, one turtle, five different birds, four hamsters, one rabbit and an aquarium. All the cats and five of the dogs have been homeless and founded love and care in “Priedlejas.” They like to think that their pet is also one little hedgehog, who quite often comes from the forest and they give him milk. “How we started also taking care of homeless animals? I remember I was 12 years old when mom and dad one torrid summer day brought home a shabby little dogy. They had found him next to the nearest shop and they just couldn’t leave him there. That’s the sad story. But soon enough the puppy regained his belief in live and blithesome.” His name is Čobītis and he has crowned Zane to be his one and only master. Although he isn’t a young boy anymore, he still hasn’t lost his vitality and really enjoys going to late night walks with his favourite girl Zane. But Zane now is studying in France and with all that Čobītis has become sadder than ever. “I hope I will meet him when I’ll return home for Christmas, but he’s very sad and therefore his health is weakening, so...” she sighs.
But for now Čobītis lives with his other friends and some of them also have the same story as he does. One of the cats, Piksis, came to “Priedlejas” himself. Zariņi found him one morning in their basement. The poor cat was so weak that it took him several months to recover. All the homeless animals have to go through some kind of recovery before they regain their trust to human kind. The saddest story is about dog called Porto. He was close to death when Zariņi found him. His previous owner had beaten him and left him in the coldness of winter. Luckily, Portos’ and Zariņu paths crossed and now he is cheerful and satisfied with life. Only thing that reminds about his painful past is the sad look in his eyes.
What are the disadvantages of living with so many animals? It’s the big mess they all create. “There have been times when I’ve wondered why we can’t just be a regular family and have one pet at home. Because it’s a lot of noise and it’s hard to find a peaceful corner in this house. But then I think again and I would never choose to be just a regular somebody. Never. Besides you can’t imagine this warm feeling in your heart when you see these pairs of eyes, that express such amount of love, gratitude and trustiness in just one look. I have never felt anything like that from human beings and I’m quite sure that I never will. Well, maybe from a child.” believes Zanes brother, Jānis.
When house is full with animals who all have different characters, every day brings new adventures. “We have smashed dishes, my favourite pair of shoes have been destroyed, our pets always decide to express their love in the most inappropriate moments, like when I am brushing my teeth or trying to lacque my nails. Once, by accident, I took one of our cats, Ella, with me to my sports camp. She had took a nap in my bag and so I took her with me. At least I had someone dear with me,” Zane smiles.
“Yes, I have a few things to say to those who leave their pets on the street.” Dace strictly says. “I consider that kind of cruelty is possible only from insensible, desperate people who have nothing to loose in their lives. Otherwise those people aren’t human beings anymore, they’re something much lower. Yes, something, not someone.”
Zariņu family don’t splurge a lot about the things they’ve done. They really don’t have to, because nearby their house everyone knows about their caring hearts. But their goal isn’t to make a good reputation and laudatory thoughts about them. They just want to create home and belonging feeling not just for their kids, but also for their little friends, who actually are the reason why “Priedlejas” are so full with warmth and coziness.