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	Home Press Articles Animals Writing Classes Bellydance Pilates Yoga Contact	The Hermit Crab, The Octopus And The Anemone © Despina Rosales, 2007 Bought by The School Magazine, May 2007 (not yet published). The clicking claws of the Hermit Crab tip-toe along the sea bed. An Octopus eye peers over a rock. First with a slow glide, and then with one slick slide the Octopus lands right on the Crab: right on target. Her powerful beak nabs the Crab. Her limbs sway and wriggle before a quick sprint back to the rock where the Crab meets his end. Later, on the other side of town... A different Hermit Crab has a plan: he pries an Anemone from a rock with a tickle from his claw, and places it on his shell. With this tentacled bodyguard on his back, the Crab starts to march. Old enemy Octopus lies in wait, and leaps from his hiding place, landing right on target. But he’s greeted with the anemone's sting! The Octopus’s slithery arms flicker unsurely, and curl away in defeat. With claws fidgeting, and antennae twiddling, the Hermit Crab slowly emerges from his shell, and continues his march across the sea bed.

The Hermit Crab, The Octopus And The Anemone
© Despina Rosales, 2007
Bought by The School Magazine, May 2007 (not yet published).

The clicking claws

of the Hermit Crab

tip-toe along the sea bed.

An Octopus eye

peers over a rock.

First with a slow glide, and then with

one

slick

slide

the Octopus lands

right on the Crab: right on target.

Her powerful beak

nabs

the Crab.

Her limbs sway and wriggle

before a quick sprint

back to the rock

where the Crab

meets

his end.

Later, on the other side of town...

A different Hermit Crab has a plan:

he pries

an Anemone

from a rock

with a tickle from his claw, and places it on his shell.

With this tentacled bodyguard on his back,

the Crab starts to march.

Old enemy Octopus lies in wait, and

leaps

from

his

hiding place, landing right on target.

But he’s greeted with the anemone's sting!

The Octopus’s slithery arms flicker unsurely,

and curl away in defeat.

With claws fidgeting,

and antennae twiddling,

the Hermit Crab slowly emerges from his shell,

and continues his march across the sea bed.

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

SAY NO TO BACKYARD BREEDERS! SAY NO TO PUPPY MILLS! SAY NO TO ANIMALS IN PETSHOPS!

At Say No (www.saynotoanimalsinpetshops.com) it's estimated that 130,000 dogs and 60,000 cats are killed every year in Australia because there are not enough homes for them all.

Backyard breeders (people who breed their animal companion) are a large part of this problem. All animal welfare organisations agree that desexing is part of being a responsible animal guardian, so be part of the solution and desex your dog or cat (or any other animal in your family)!

Puppy mills contribute to the enormous problem of overpopulation by irresponsibly breeding for profit without any care for the animals whatsoever. The dogs live in appallingly dirty, cramped conditions all their lives, and when they no longer serve their purpose they're killed, dumped or sold for cruel medical testing.

And how do petshops fit in? Well, puppy mills and backyard breeders are where petshops get their animals from! No responsible breeder would EVER give their animals over to a petshop. Besides supporting irresponsible breeders (backyard breeders and puppy mills), having animals in shop windows encourages impulse purchases. Adding an animal to your family should be a conscious, careful decision - NOT one to be made while shoe shopping.

For all these reasons, a shelter is a far better place to buy a pet: Google "animal shelters" to find one in your state and country, and visit Death Row Pets (www.deathrowpets.net) to see what else you can do to help.

"To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being." - Mahatma Gandhi

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