Unpopular Opinion: You shouldn’t have pets

By

Published January 15, 2020 at 11:04 pm

pas_filet_o_fish

Don’t you love it when you wake up in the middle of the night and step in a puddle of cat/dog pee?

If you have a pet, chances are this has happened to you at some point.

That’s just one of the reasons having pets is weird. Think about it–it’s another animal that you are unable to communicate with that lives in your house with you.

The entire concept is strange to me–I’m not a pet person.

In fact, there have been times where I wished I had an allergy to justify my feelings because people never seem to understand people who are anti-pet.

As someone who likes a clean and organized living space, pets really test my patience–even the most well-trained animals can throw a temper tantrum because they think you’ve been away for too long and destroy one of your favourite shoes, or do something worse in it.

And of course, there are the times where you find puddles of urine/feces around your house… or vomit.

Now, you might say this doesn’t happen that often, and that could be true, but then there’s the pet hair–it gets everywhere! seriously, I can’t stand when my clothes make me look as if I’m growing my own fur coat.

Not only that, but pets are expensive. Sure… you could go for the cheapest pet food in the store, but if you love your pet, you’re probably going to shell out a little more money for something that will keep them healthy and happy.

Plus, you’ve got all kinds of other expenses… there are things like beds and toys and things to make sure they’re happy and comfortable, especially when you’re not home.

And of course, if you have a dog, you need to pay for training lessons… unless you want to replace your favourite pair of shoes when your untrained dog chews it to pieces.

Plus, if you’ve ever had a pet that got sick, you’ve probably been stunned when you got the vet bill. All these things add up.

But most of all, the reason I don’t like the concept of pets is because of how people treat them as novelties. You might know a pet owner who wanted a pet because they wanted something cute and cuddly, but they weren’t prepared for how much of a commitment it would require.

You know those types of owners… the ones who get a kitten or puppy when they’re young and adorable, and then ditch them when they get older and need more care or special treatment.

There’s a reason there are so many shelter animals that need new homes. While not all of them are animals that have been abandoned, some of them are.

Worse still is when people want a pet only when they want them… you know, the owners who keep their pets cooped up in a cage for most of the day. 

This sort of treatment isn’t fair to the animal. Having a pet is a commitment, and not to be taken lightly. Pet owners should be prepared to take care of their pet for its entire life.

This is the reason I don’t have one (I don’t mind when I visit friends and their pets come to see me, but I like that when I leave the pet stays) and I think it’s a reason many other people maybe shouldn’t have pets either.

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising