Pets and Peeps: Maxine, Fat Tony, Olive

The People: Susan Watkins of Decatur.

Pets' names, nicknames, breeds, and ages: Maxine, also known as Fat Mittens, Fat Max, or Hog Baby; domestic long hair; 9 years old. Fat Tony, also known as Tony, Mr. T and Tony Toni Tone; domestic short hair, 4 years old; Olive (named for Olive the Other Reindeer), also known as Miss O and Miss Buddy: Collie mix; 3.5 years old.

How I met my pets: I met Maxine while I was at the Atlanta Humane Society. My best friend was adopting a dog when a lady approached with a tiny ball of fluff she found under a house.  She had been separated from her mother and needed to be bottle-fed.  The Humane Society couldn’t take her, so I did. Tony and Olive area also AHS adoptees. Big thanks to my friend, Dillard, for helping me pick the right dog.

I love it when my pets do this this: Maxine snuggles with the dog.  Maxine and Tony wait for us outside the dog park. Olive spins in circles when she’s excited.

I wish my pets would stop doing this: Maxine eats any and everything.  She can even open Tupperware. Tony brings me live squirrels, chipmunks, snakes, etc. Olive barks incessantly.

What people say about my pet: Of Maxine, they says she’s so beautiful -- and fat. Of Tony, they say I chased him all over your house trying to pet him. He wouldn’t let me. Many people remark that Olive has a bicycle seat-shaped head

Most exciting moment with my pets: Maxine is sedentary and provides little excitement. Tony provides too much excitement (in the form of live animals). With Olive, the day she realized she loves swimming was exciting, but taking her to meet my dad for the first time was a really big deal. I felt like a proud parent.

How my pet has enriched my life: Forced physical activity and unconditional love.

If my pet could talk they would say: Maxine, Feed me. Olive, Don’t leave me. Ever. Not for one second. Tony, Bye. I’m going to out to prowl and I’ll be back much later than you’d like.

You can read other Decatur Patch pet stories at the Pets Topic Page. 

Patch would like to know about your dog, cat, snake, lizard, monkey, llama -- whatever kind of pet you have. If you're interested in being profiled in Pets and Peeps, email Ralph.Ellis@Patch.com.