Why aren't you helping, OP?
My mother? Let me tell you about my mother!
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Do people get pets because they're bored with having money? (Why do people get pets?)
- Thread starter AnansiThePersona
- Start date
My mother? Let me tell you about my mother!
When I was at my lowest point of depression my cat was the only thing about my life that I still liked.
If you've never had a pet I could see it being a strange concept but they really do enrich your life.
I have two cats and I'm getting a third, they are a little expensive due to food and litter and the occasional visit to the vet, and sure, I could use that money for a foreign holiday once a year but I feel it's better spent on the happiness they bring me on a daily basis rather than a week in the sun somewhere.
I have two cats and I'm getting a third, they are a little expensive due to food and litter and the occasional visit to the vet, and sure, I could use that money for a foreign holiday once a year but I feel it's better spent on the happiness they bring me on a daily basis rather than a week in the sun somewhere.
I imagine there has been a looming sense of dread over many a parents time around the decision to raise children. I'm not asking why you don't want children, I'm asking why you can't understand why others would. You seem to be stuck at the burden of the world on prospective children, which I agree is a tough decision for any would be parent, but the good clearly outweighs the bad for most people. You just don't seem to want to accept that
You can't argue it's a case of people coming to the conclusion the good outweighs the bad when people are just burying their heads in the sand over climate change. It's pure denial, not some educated decision they're making.
Well, I'd rather live through a shit show than not live at all, but that might be just me.
People want companionship and they also care for animals in need of a home. Not sure why that's so hard to understand. The point you make about .."And before you say "It's not just animal it's a member of the family and I love him/her!" you don't. Well, to be specific, you don't love a pet before you spend substantial time with it. You are adopting/purchasing a pet to fall in love it", do you say this about people having children too or do you consider people having children some insurance for the future?
It's a good thing someone like you don't own a pet or have to take care of any animal. I actually feel sorry for your friends from the way you're describing what a friend is to you.
It's a good thing someone like you don't own a pet or have to take care of any animal. I actually feel sorry for your friends from the way you're describing what a friend is to you.
My cat has a job. Companship and unrepentant slaughter of small vermin. I also provide her with companionship and room and board. Equivalent and fair exchange if you ask me.
Pets are great, but that number OP, is way too high. I would never have more than three at a time. Anymore I wonder how a single person or even two people can keep them in good care.
Again, you seem to be unwilling to view a phenomenon through any viewpoint that isn't your own
I don't know what you want me to tell you, try speaking to people who have chosen to have children if you want a better explanation as I have no children, but you are willfully not understanding this situation
Companionship, man. That and the knowledge that I'm giving a warm, safe, loving home to some little critters who needed it. The two kitties I have now are rescues, and had I not adopted them, they would've been put down ages ago.
And they're really not that expensive. Aside from a health incident with one of them that put a dent in my wallet a year or two ago, I spend less on them a month than I do on video games and movies. Hell, adopting them only cost me $40 and they came microchipped, fully vaccinated, and with a weeks' worth of food and treats!
And they're really not that expensive. Aside from a health incident with one of them that put a dent in my wallet a year or two ago, I spend less on them a month than I do on video games and movies. Hell, adopting them only cost me $40 and they came microchipped, fully vaccinated, and with a weeks' worth of food and treats!
In addition to everything has been written. They bring life to your house. The only time i'm anxious is when I'm about to travel and my cat and dog are not in the house because they're being looked after in another house. My home feels quiet and dead inside.
They are work but what they bring to the table is stability in my life.
They are work but what they bring to the table is stability in my life.
I feel you op. If I want companionship I'll find a human for that. I don't like pets at all. I feel absolutely zero emotion towards animals.
Tell me how my life would substantially improve with the 50 euros a month I spend on food for my dog.
I adopted one dog almost 3 months ago and whenever I am not at home (traveling) I miss him. When I come home (from a trip, or just going grocery shopping) I am warm welcomed at home by my dog. You dont need years with a dog do care and love him, you just get used to having him around.
It is actually a pain in the ass to wake up early in the cold to take him out to pee, but does it really matter? I am sometimes more annoyed for 'having' to walk him for over an hour per day, but that feeling goes away when I am outside with him having fun.
That's exactly what I thought after reading the OP.
I adopted one dog almost 3 months ago and whenever I am not at home (traveling) I miss him. When I come home (from a trip, or just going grocery shopping) I am warm welcomed at home by my dog. You dont need years with a dog do care and love him, you just get used to having him around.
It is actually a pain in the ass to wake up early in the cold to take him out to pee, but does it really matter? I am sometimes more annoyed for 'having' to walk him for over an hour per day, but that feeling goes away when I am outside with him having fun.
That's exactly what I thought after reading the OP.
hey read my post again!
did OP truly play with the puppy.
just needs to hang with a cute little dog that loves him and OP will understand all. dogs are the best.
Certain pets that are really expensive and high maintenance like parrots seem to fall under this category. Most parrot owners I see basically adopted them from their previous owner rather than buying from a shop/breeder because it was way too much responsibility to take care of them. It's like having a toddler for the rest of your life (that may very well outlive you to boot) and they demand a lot of social and mental stimulation for a healthy life.
Pets are like any other investment. They're a big investment for sure. They cost a lot to take care of, they will take up a portion of your day to day life, etc.... but the reward is unrivalled companionship. There are other things you can gain like forcing you to get out more for walks, playing with your kids and teaching them responsibility, training and caring for the dog can basically become a hobby.
I don't even think cats are that big of an investment tbh.
I don't even think cats are that big of an investment tbh.
What about shelter animals? Is it not a great thing to do something amazing for animals that have been treated like crap and / or can't find a home?
We always take older dogs, that are difficult to place. So in general older / senior dogs with problems:
- Our first dog was left at the shelter at the age of 11 years after the original owner past away. The dog didn't want to be touched by anyone else, they weren't even able to remove her clothing for over a year,
- One has been beaten and left for dead in the forest and as a result is afraid of people and can't be left alone for long;
- One has been living for 15 (!) years in the shelter, she is probably an abandoned hunting dog;
Now they all live a happy life and they are the most important thing in my life. I think that beats having 50 euro per month extra.
We always take older dogs, that are difficult to place. So in general older / senior dogs with problems:
- Our first dog was left at the shelter at the age of 11 years after the original owner past away. The dog didn't want to be touched by anyone else, they weren't even able to remove her clothing for over a year,
- One has been beaten and left for dead in the forest and as a result is afraid of people and can't be left alone for long;
- One has been living for 15 (!) years in the shelter, she is probably an abandoned hunting dog;
Now they all live a happy life and they are the most important thing in my life. I think that beats having 50 euro per month extra.
People have already stated many legitimate reasons, but I imagine many could also be gifts which this UK advert going around at the moment suggests is a big issue around Christmas.
Reptiles are dope. They cost very little, prefer to be alone and stay in their lane. Kinda like me.
You could say the same thing about a lot of things. Why spend money on tasty food? drinks? entertainment? Think of all the money you could save! It's silly. Money is not for hoarding, it's to be spent on things that bring you joy. Like pizza that you can share with your cat.
Mental health. Having a dog who is constantly excited about me existing does wonders for my depression.
OP
OP
Jesus christ I did not mean "I won't take my friend/partner to the hospital if they need it." I did not mean "I'll let my friend/partner die if they need to go to the hospital." Y'all...for real??? Really? A dog cannot go to the hospital when it feels sick. It cannot decide that on its own. Likewise, if a friend/partner needs to see a doctor, and they do not want to, YOU CANNOT MAKE THEM. Unless they are dying or are unable to physically/mentally do it...you can't. A dog is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. You have 100% say in the matter. I can saying anything and y'all will fucking twisted into something crazy for one reason or another. "You are unfit to be around other humans,"...
Really???
My dogs have gotten me to do a lot of beneficial stuff over the years I'd probably not have done otherwise. Yes, they take time and money, but whether or not motivating me to go exercise with them is a burden is up to me to decide. Honestly it's been good for me to have creatures insist we get the hell out of the house. It's good for me to have an animal jumping for joy when I come back from another long, shitty day. It's good for me to remember I need to sometimes be selfless and care for something else.
It's been good training for having a child as well. It's fifty times the responsibility and stress, but every morning when I get her up or when she wakes up from a nap and immediately smiles at me and kicks her legs for joy just because she sees my face makes it all feel worth it.
Almost every decision you make in life will have accompanying downsides and costs associated with it. If you find yourself only focusing on those and ignoring the positives, it's a recipe for a sad existence indeed
It's been good training for having a child as well. It's fifty times the responsibility and stress, but every morning when I get her up or when she wakes up from a nap and immediately smiles at me and kicks her legs for joy just because she sees my face makes it all feel worth it.
Almost every decision you make in life will have accompanying downsides and costs associated with it. If you find yourself only focusing on those and ignoring the positives, it's a recipe for a sad existence indeed
By all means respond to silly posts like theirs, but you don't seem to be engaging with many of the legitimate points being made in this thread so you're only going to be fostering hot takes like that
OP
OP
To be fair, I just woke up and that was a post that elicited a reaction from me. I was reading the responses thread still. Also I did respond a lot in the first 4 pages. Can't get to everyone.
Also that post was also addressing all the people saying shit like "You wouldn't take your friend to the hospital?" When that is super not what I meant.
Study show that having a dog (not sure if they also did a study wit cats) increase your lifespan and your health (heart health in particular).
It's not that surprising considering we have adapted to be co-dependent to dogs. They helped us and we helped them. They lived with us starting at least 14000 to possibly more than 36000 years ago.
Pets are not for every one but they do bring happiness to a large portion of the population.
It's not that surprising considering we have adapted to be co-dependent to dogs. They helped us and we helped them. They lived with us starting at least 14000 to possibly more than 36000 years ago.
Pets are not for every one but they do bring happiness to a large portion of the population.
You're really leaning into the sociopath bit with your replies.
Dogs love you, they are cheap, and they make me happy.
Also, this might be a little odd, but I deal a lot with existential crap, and seeing beings that are just happy to be alive makes you appreciate the simple things in life, at least for me.
Also, this might be a little odd, but I deal a lot with existential crap, and seeing beings that are just happy to be alive makes you appreciate the simple things in life, at least for me.
Ah yeah, fair play - I hadn't really looked at timings
Ok but to be fair OP said "not to sound like a sociopath" initially. I think it's a fair assessment.
Damn, sorry bud. That's rough, my condolences. Don't let this terrible topic bring you down. Remember the good times.
OP
OP
I wasn't saying that's what believe the purpose of having kids were. That was me looking at a reason someone would feel a different relationship with a kid compared to a dog. I don't think that's the point of a kid. Also as for how I respond to people that's just how I write when I'm responding seriously.
Do people travel because they're bored with having money?
Do people eat at nice reastaurants because they're bored with having money?
Do people have children because they're bored with having money?
No, people do that because they enjoy it, or really want to, or think that it enriches their life. I love my cats. I don't care about children.
Now, if your question was: "Should someone with no money spend a lot of money on owning/maintaining pets", I would consider it to be a more fair discussion; to which my answer would be: "Maybe owning that pet is one of the things that really brings joy to this person, so let them be". Unless they are careless and do not take propare care, that would change things.
Do people eat at nice reastaurants because they're bored with having money?
Do people have children because they're bored with having money?
No, people do that because they enjoy it, or really want to, or think that it enriches their life. I love my cats. I don't care about children.
Now, if your question was: "Should someone with no money spend a lot of money on owning/maintaining pets", I would consider it to be a more fair discussion; to which my answer would be: "Maybe owning that pet is one of the things that really brings joy to this person, so let them be". Unless they are careless and do not take propare care, that would change things.
Pet Everytime, that relative can get student aid like everyone else.
OP
OP
Just a segway, but that's why I think there should be more strict laws regarding mankind taking care of animals, instead of giving animals all kinds of rights to which they are unaware of, of basically, have no influence in.
It's that hierarchy of needs. We tend to focus on first meeting our core needs, like enough money for life's basics, before tending to other needs that aren't as immediately essential to our survival.
If your budget is tight and you're feeling some financial stress, then other human needs, like the need for companionship, unconditional love/regard, the need to nurture, that stuff will drop on your priority list until you feel more financially secure. In fact, your mind may reject it (for the time being) as ridiculous or absurd to make it as undesirable an option as possible lest you spend your tuition and apartment budget on a glass box of sea water and rare tropical fish. Like the rest of us humans, you trying to cope.
Yeah I've never really understood pets. I like visiting pets - my sister has a cat and it's fun to play with him and pet him when I'm hanging out. Occasionally I think I should get a cat, but it just seems... nearsighted? Selfish?
Maybe it's because I'm poor. The idea of having the extra time and money to take care of an animal well (not just leave it locked in a room for 10 hours a day) is completely foreign to me. Like that's a level of rich I've never come across. I don't even have the time and money to take care of myself properly. And I make like $50k a year! I don't know how properly poor people (or people with kids) manage.
Maybe it's because I'm poor. The idea of having the extra time and money to take care of an animal well (not just leave it locked in a room for 10 hours a day) is completely foreign to me. Like that's a level of rich I've never come across. I don't even have the time and money to take care of myself properly. And I make like $50k a year! I don't know how properly poor people (or people with kids) manage.