No, thank you
By Fleur
@Fleura (29214)
United Kingdom
January 3, 2024 6:43am CST
Our younger daughter (‘Little One’) loves all sorts of animals. She often says she would like another pet… a dog, or a cat, or a rabbit, or some rats, or a snake…..
There are several problems with this. The first is that although she loves animals, she doesn’t actually want to do the work associated with looking after them. We currently have some fish, a hamster and three chickens and you can guess who does almost all the work of feeding them and cleaning up after them. Then there’s the difficulty of arranging holiday care for them when we go away, which is enough of a nuisance even just for these easy-to-care-for pets. And she is very keen to travel too!
We have several friends who have dogs or cats and they face various difficulties about where they can go with the dog, how long they can stay away if they have to leave the dog at home, what to do with the cat when they go on holiday, dealing with the cats peeing all over the house, vomiting on the bed… seriously I am not willing to accept that.
When I was growing up we had various cats and dogs, but none of them lived in the house, my mother wouldn’t allow it and I now completely understand! Of course indoor cats and dogs were less common in those days. Nowadays if you don’t allow your pets in the house people are likely to accuse you of animal cruelty!
Also when I was growing up we basically never went anywhere, apart from the odd afternoon out. We never went away on holiday so that wasn’t an issue.
As for rats or snakes, my partner is totally paranoid about rats in general so he would leave if we had pet rats. Also I don’t want my house to smell of rats (one friend has three pet rats so I know exactly what I’m talking about!)
My partner also has a snake phobia, he can’t even look at snakes on TV so that is not an option either.
I do feel rather mean not letting her have the same experiences I had but on the other hand she has different ones I never had – she has been on several holidays in the UK and abroad, she’s learned to sail, to rock climb, we go camping, we’ve been on a narrowboat a couple of times, and she gets to go on various residential trips with different groups – and as I said we have many friends with dogs and cats and other pets she can enjoy time with when we see them.
Do your family have pets?
12 people like this
11 responses
@LindaOHio (157150)
• United States
3 Jan
We've always had dogs. At our age, though, we decided on no more dogs now. I really miss them. They were always inside dogs and behaved well. They do require a lot of care though. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (157150)
• United States
3 Jan
@Fleura At least with cats you can leave them a while. Can't do that with dogs.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95700)
• Marion, Ohio
3 Jan
We have always had many pets. Growing up all the cats and dogs were outside. I now have them inside. My boys were taught that if they didn't take care of their pets I would get rid of them.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29214)
• United Kingdom
3 Jan
We do tell her she has to look after them, and she has at least made an effort to clean up her hamster cage recently, but I guess she knows I would never get rid of them. And with an animal like a dog it would be even harder, how could you just get rid of it? It's like getting rid of a family member!
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95700)
• Marion, Ohio
3 Jan
@Fleura I didn't allow them their own dog until they were around 10. I also made them save up half the purchase price so they were more invested in the animal
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326127)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan
My 'growing up' experiences were a bit similar to yours in that very few of our cats and dogs were 'inside' pets. I'd love another cat but it would have to stay indoors and litter boxes make me feel ill. It would be a pretty awful life for a cat or dog in our tiny space. We've house-sat for various people who were very anxious about their pets and having to leave them. Could Little One help out at a shelter occasionally or would that just make the yearning worse? Perhaps they'd put her to cleaning litter boxes which might cure her for the moment. 
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29214)
• United Kingdom
4 Jan
I think she's still too young to help at a shelter (although will investigate). And yes clearing up cat sh*t is disgusting. It's bad enough when I find some in my veg patch (doubly annoying since we don't have a cat). Luckily I don't often leave any bare soil so it doesn't happen much.
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (15911)
• United States
3 Jan
We are sadly pet free at the moment as our beloved Buttons and Ginger crossed the rainbow bridge over the past couple of years.
When your younger daughter is grown, she can have as many animals as she wishes. You'll have to let her know the reasons, which I understand why you are hesitant in getting any more animals at this time.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29214)
• United Kingdom
3 Jan
She does know why I'm not keen. Like her, I always wanted more animals when I was growing up. And I read 'Shadow the Sheepdog' and really wanted my dog to be able to sleep on my bed! Not surprisingly that never happened. And when I did get my own place (at 21) I did have a lot of extra pets - hamsters, rabbits, chickens, quails and fish. So yes, when she gets her own home she can fill it with whatever she wants!
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45586)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
3 Jan
Not at this time, but I've had fish and some kitty companions in the past.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16543)
• China
3 Jan
Here there are some people that feed indoor cats and dogs.My son has a collie.His house always smells of dog and the dog frequently messes up his room.I can't see my way to feeding any pets.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (459170)
• Switzerland
3 Jan
We lived inside an apartment in the centre of Milan, we never had cats or dogs. I had a small aquarium with a few fish, Mom made it clear that I had to take care of them or she would have brought them back to the store.
I have a phobia of snakes, same as your partner, I cannot even look at photos of them in magazines. I would have divorced should my husband decided to have a pet snake.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79961)
• United States
3 Jan
Dogs and cats come with a lot of responsibility and work. I can understand your reluctance to getting more pets for your daughter. I have a small dog and it is hard to plan a trip or days out without having to take into consideration who's going to care for the dog.
1 person likes this
@TraveOnWorld (866)
• Georgia
3 Jan
I think you should impress on her that there is somewhat of a difference between house and zoo I think I'll still be able to handle snake and rat. I will draw the line at baboon spiders, tarantulas, and scorpions. I know people who have these things as pets and they always escape.
My youngest sister has to keep hedgehogs, dogs, cats, birds and fish for her children. Lucky she's got help to clean the house as her girls, who want all these pets, are not so good at cleaning or feeding. Me, I'll keep to feral cats - they are nice low maintenance
I think I'll still be able to handle snake and rat. I will draw the line at baboon spiders, tarantulas, and scorpions. I know people who have these things as pets and they always escape.
My youngest sister has to keep hedgehogs, dogs, cats, birds and fish for her children. Lucky she's got help to clean the house as her girls, who want all these pets, are not so good at cleaning or feeding. Me, I'll keep to feral cats - they are nice low maintenance1 person likes this
