How to treat a steer.....

Many who share their homes with dogs have laughed over their dogs' antics around treats -  pleading looks, pawing, jumping up, sitting pretty, trying every trick in their repertoire in hopes we will cave and give them 'just one more'.  And who hasn't seen those comical photos of dogs almost cross-eyed as they patiently sit with a treat on their nose, waiting  for the release word so they can just eat the darn thing?

Most animals like treats, no matter what their species.  Allie comes running at the sound of the cat cookie jar lid or the rustle of a bag of Temptations.  The pigs I've fostered all knew where the treats were kept, and I've had more than one jacket pocket ripped off by an enthusiastic piggy snout.  Even Martin, the alpaca who came with the property I rented in the Fraser Valley, came running at the sound of a container of apple slices or carrot chunks.

So it comes as no surprise that Theo, the giant steer at RASTA sanctuary, likes treats.  And one of his favourite treats appears to be the leftover pizza rounds which a local pizza place donates to the sanctuary when they overestimate how many to prepare.  Plain rounds of cooked pizza dough, with no sauce or toppings, suits Theo just fine.   Think of them as very large dog cattle cookies.

On Thursday after our volunteer shift, Nancy and I grabbed a couple of rounds and headed over to the shelter where Theo, Romeo and Tango were hanging out.  And here's how it went down:

Yum....thank you!
But why is that person pointing the camera at me?

Doesn't she ever put that camera away?

What's Theodore eating?
Is he getting a TREAT?

Nom...nom...nom..
Gawd, she's STILL pointing that lens at me!

Pizza!  May we have some too please?

Oh. Wow.  Best Treat Ever!

Hey! Quit squishin' me!
My turn, my turn! 

Look, lady, if you really want a picture,
I'll give you a picture. Right now, while the donkeys are eating.

Help, there's a metal bar through my neck!
(Heheheheheh - how'd you like that one, camera lady?)

Me:  Theodore!  You are one silly steer!
Now I've got pizza crumbs on my camera lens! 

Oh, here, let me clean that off for you! 

There's no such thing as a day without a smile when you live with or work with animals!