FROM oyster to eagle, from swine to tiger … animals are the portrayal of our virtues and vices made manifest to our eyes, reflections of our souls. Victor Hugo
Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out. James Bryant Conant
Even if you’ve been fishing for three hours and haven’t gotten anything except poison ivy and sunburn, you’re still better off than the worm. Unknown
The cockroach and the bird were both here long before we were. Both could get along very well without us, although it is perhaps significant that of the two the cockroach would miss us more. Joseph Wood Krutch
The anteater’s a marvellous creature. A model of specialisation. Who else could suck an ant up his nose and enjoy it? Johnny Hart
Stupidity is the devil. Look in the eye of a chicken and you’ll know. It’s the most horrifying, cannibalistic and nightmarish creature in this world. Werner Herzog
Elephants never forget, but you seldom see a kangaroo with a zipper. Unknown
The butterfly’s attractiveness derives not only from colours and symmetry: deeper motives contribute to it. We would not think them so beautiful if they did not fly, or if they flew straight and briskly like bees, or they stung. Primo Levi
I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren’t certain we knew better. They fight for honour at the first challenge, make love with no moral restraint, and they do not for all their marvellous instincts appear to know about death. Being such wonderfully uncomplicated beings, they need us to do their worrying. George Bird Evans
A man may smile and bid you hail yet wish you to the devil. But when a dog wags his tail, you know he’s on the level. Unknown
Ever consider what they must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul — chicken, pork, half a cow… they must think we’re the greatest hunters on earth! Anne Tyler
Cats are smarter than dogs. You can’t get eight cats to pull a sled through snow. Jeff Valdez
If you yell at a cat, you’re the one making a fool of yourself. Unknown
I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals. Sir Winston Churchill
My favourite animal is the mule. He has more horse sense than a horse. He knows when to stop eating — and he knows when to stop working. Harry S Truman
Horse sense being the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people. WC Fields
I like a bit of mongrel myself, whether it’s a man or a dog; they’re the best for everyday. George Bernard Shaw
In my day, we didn’t have dogs or cats. All I had was Silver Beauty, my beloved paper clip. Jennifer Hart
MICHEL PIREU: pireum@bdfm.co.za