A Pet is NOT a Toy!

I am not a pet person, so it’s kind of strange for me to be writing about this topic. But, if a non-pet person can feel so strongly about this, I cannot imagine what people with pets feel like.

The trigger for this post: Various posts on social networking groups where parents post about their child (5 years or so) ask for pet dog or cat, and they are looking for references.

So the “Pet People” (I don’t know what to refer them as) give comments on what needs to be considered and why it is not a trivial thing.

A Pet is NOT a toy! It is that simple. Children have phases when they like certain things and then they move on.  I say this as a mother of an almost 2 year old. So when they are as young as 4 or 5 years old, they DO NOT understand the implications of getting a pet. For them it might be interesting for a while, and then they lose interest. But it’s not that simple, it is a lifelong commitment. When such a young child asks for a pet, please look at it as if the child is asking for another child / baby to play with. Will you take it as casually if they asked for a sibling instead? Would you not consider the time / energy / money / commitment it will require from your end? Then it should be the same for a pet.

Getting a pet and then letting it go, because the fun associated with it has ended, is CRUEL! A Pet Person, considers the pet as a family member and nothing less. Will you consider letting go of family, just because you don’t enjoy being with them or are finding it difficult looking after them? It’s the same with a pet.

Another aspect of getting a pet is Adopting vs Buying. The Pet People will tell you that it is the best to adopt, and you will know why once you dig deep on the things associated with buying a pet. How they are bred, how they are kept as captives and how ill-treated they are.  Of course, I am no expert at this and only know whatever little I do from the posts / articles I have read about it.

So next time you think “chalo let’s get a dog / cat” kindly think of it as “adopting” another life. It is NOT a casual thing.