Speaking of pets, WHY do we have them?

[Darth_Kitten]

:loveya: :hug: :loveya: :hug:

Is having pets a "selfish" act? Are we nuts to spend so much on them? Are we fulfilling their real needs and wants? :)

I don't know, I think nurturing a little something makes me a better person. :) A little sacrifice on my part is worth the "cost". :)

[bobja]

1. You get far more than you give

We just got a dog from the shelter this past June. My last pet, a dog, died in 1992. So I spent 11 years without a pet, and now that we have one, I can't figure why I waited so long!

I don't think its selfish at all. You do the world a service by taking in and befriending an animal. The care and love you give them makes you a better person for sure! And when you're a better person you positively effect those around you. I think if you're a good animal friend that you do fulfill their need and wants.

[toddzilla]

2. i really don't get some of it..

my sister has a few dogs, and they pretty much ruin her house on a regular basis. they are not untrained, in fact they are some of the best trained dogs i've seen, she is a highly skilled dog trainer as it happens. they get sick, puke on the floor, get in the trash, knock things over.. and the list goes on and on.

i understand having an animal companion, but i just think having animals in the house is pretty disgusting.. not for me. when i have some land i MAY consider getting a dog, but it won't set foot in the house.

am i somehow a lesser person because i don't want a pet?

[hlthe2b]

9. by that logic, I certainly wouldn't want children in the house!

(AND frankly, I don't :evilgrin:)

[scottcsmith]

3. It's not selfish

For the longest time I could not comprehend being so attached to an animal that I'd cry when it died. I didn't think it was possible to get emotionally attached to an animal.

My wife and I adopted a cat a few years ago. We rescued her from a shelter. Amelia was scrawny and had digestion problems. She was missing bits of fur, especially on her tail.

And as the months passed, I found myself...bonding...with the cat. Today, I'm not sure if I would shed a tear if she died, but I know I would be very sad to lose her. She's very healthy now.

Last year we adopted a second cat, a male kitten that we named Beethoven (my wife picked the name, I'm not sure why) and he's pretty funny. I think a few years ago you couldn't convince me that animals had personalities, but of course I know now that they do. Amelia and Beethoven don't get along very well and sort of tolerate each other. But when it's time for bed, it's not uncommon for both cats to come into my bedroom and climb into bed with me and my wife, the cats a couple of feet apart, not growling or fighting, just wanting our attention. It's cute.

[wryter2000]

4. Snakes are so pretty

And they feel really cool when the crawl on you. Honestly, my girl snake soothes me after a rough day at work.

[SiobhanClancy]

5. Because I can't keep a husband...

(just kidding).They are my babies,and they satisfy my underused maternal instincts. Plus,they are so funny.

[LWolf]

6. Because.

They are more honest, faithful, reliable, and comforting than humans. They never pretend to be more or less than themselves.

I'm good at meeting their real needs; I understand animals better than people.

[Philosophy]

7. I just like having someone to talk to

who hangs on every word I say and never argues. My dog just bites me instead.

[VOX]

8. Something about wanting/needing a cross-species bond is very powerful...

I find that I get *very* close to the cats I've had in my life. They've all been rescues, so I've changed (or saved) their lives.

I know that I can make their lives a bit happier by interacting with them. They grow dependent on that interaction and affection. Likewise, I grow dependent on their attention and affection. It's mutual.

I've been a total basket case whenever my cats died. I miss them so much. A bond with another species is so special. That's why I keep n with them.

Our lives are so much richer for having these little guys around.

[amazona]

10. they bring a touch of magic to our lives

I suppose it's selfish in the sense that they give back so much more than they could ever take. I have been attracted to my pets because they were beautiful and intelligent; I'm not always sure what attracted them to me. :-) (I have bred many birds in the past, so I actually helped create conditions to bring some of them into being and to share the love of birds with other people.) We are in relationship with our pets; the word "owner" sometimes gives the wrong idea. My current pet, the Amazon, helped create the situation where he became my pet, instead of remaining my neighbor's pet or becoming someone else's pet. There was a spark of recognition when we met.

The ability to step outside of ourselves and learn to bond with a member of another species is something magical that can't be easily explained. If you are not fulfilling your pet's real needs and wants, I bet your pet will let you know about it if he is anything like mine! I don't feel I am sacrificing to be with him, or that he is sacrificing to be with me -- we have both gained.

[devilgrrl]

11. Having pets is easier than dealing with people...

People are so annoying that I prefer the company of animals

[THUNDER HANDS]

12. they good eats!

I reckon'

Ever have hound dog stew?

[WWW]

13. Speaking of which..

I grew up in a loveless household. My 'father' deserted my mother when I was an infant...she had to go to work and I was left with bitter grandparents during those days..bitter because my mother never made anything of herself and couldn't even make a marriage work. When I was in kindergarten, I got a cat. That cat was the best thing that ever happened to me, her name was Cindy Lou and she loved me like no other thing I had ever encountered. Later on, we had to go on welfare and I had to take a taxi to get our surplus food after school on the first Tuesday each month, often in front of my friends getting out of school for the late bus. The thought of that cat was the only thing I clung to as I got out of the taxi to collect my surplus food. I did this thru my junior high school years until I got a job and could support our household (my freshman year in high school) That stupid cat always got me thru the worst of those times, I knew as soon as I got home and had her in my arms, everything would be okay...