Travel

BEAUTIFUL PET ADVENTURES TO CONSIDER NOW

by John Stortz. Wolfgang. Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.

One of the most beautiful aspects of having pets is that they keep us grounded at home. Exploring the world through their eyes is another whole level of beauty. Here are two very different, both very amazing, stories of pet adventures -- one you’re sure to admire vicariously and one you might just decide to experience for yourself.

JOHN STORTZ

Illustrator and photographer John Stortz has been traveling through the western U.S. for the last 2 years with his dog, Wolf (short for Wolfgang), a gorgeous white husky he adopted 2 years ago from a shelter.

He has documented their thrilling adventures, taking photos of Wolf standing, sitting, running, and playing in some of the most beautiful places in the United States.

The photos, part portrait, part landscape, show Wolf in magnificent settings, including the beautiful caverns of Bryce Canyon, the spectacular forest of Nisene Marks State Park, and the rough beauty of Death Valley.

When they first met, these two- and four-legged best friends had no idea how many beautiful places they would visit on their journey through life together. Stortz’s photography shows us how exciting and life-changing pet rescue can be!

Stortz describes himself on Instagram as, “Dude and dog bumbling around the west.” We love to follow him! Check out more of his photographs and illustrations on his Instagram and Tumblr.

CAT ISLANDS -- JAPAN

The cat islands of Japan make every cat person’s wildest dreams come to life.

Japan is home to about a dozen “Nekojima,” or cat islands, where cat lovers come to marvel, feed, and play with the island’s residents.

One of the most famous of these islands, Tashirojima, in Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Japan, lies in the Pacific Ocean off the Oshika Peninsula. It has more cats living on it than humans! One hundred people live among several hundred cats.

Tashirojima also features a Shinto cat shrine and quirky cat-shaped lodges for visitors, designed by famous manga artist, Shotaro Ishimori.

These cats were originally kept by fishermen to kill mice, and the locals believe that feeding them will bring good luck. Vets visit regularly to give the cats health checkups. And no dogs are allowed.

Aoshima Island, to the east of Tashirojima, is home to over 100 cats, with only 15 permanent human residents.

Other cat islands include Enoshima, Okishima in the Shiga Prefecture, and Kadarashima in the Saga Prefecture, each with its own legend, shrine, and quirky beauty.

BN Community Pets

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IMAGE CREDITS:

Image: by John Stortz. Wolfgang. Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.
Image: by John Stortz. Wolfgang. Anza-Borrego Morning, California.
Image: by John Stortz. Wolfgang. Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming.
Image: by John Stortz. Wolfgang. Bryce Canyon, Utah.
Image: by John Stortz. Wolfgang. Bronson Canyon, California.
Image: by John Stortz. Wolfgang. Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, California.
Image: by z rahen. nekora. Aoshima, Japan.
Image: by z rahen. neko. Okishima, Japan.
Image: by z rahen. neko. Tashirojima, Japan.
Image: by z rahen. neko. Shiga, Japan.
Image: by z rahen. nekora. Aoshima, Japan.
Image: by z rahen. nekora. Aoshima, Japan.
Image: by Linda Ong. Mac.
Image: by Krissy Lantz.
Image: by Charlee Butler. Ozzy.
Image: by John Stortz. Wolfgang. Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado.
Image: by BN App - Download now!
Image: by John Stortz. Wolfgang. Glacier National Park, Montana.