Pets Fall Out of Favour!

It's true that owning a pet can be beneficial to the owner, but so many people just don't lead an appropriate lifestyle. I think it's such a shame when people get a cat or a dog and then leave it alone for most of the day while the entire household is at work or whatever. They're such a big responsibility, too. So often people don't consider the trouble with traveling with animals and stuff like emergency vet bills.

Amen. I'm in the USA where I think children play them video games even more. Anyhow my children always loved pets of all types. I'm fortunante enough to have a large backyard. I have a Beagle mix that loves it. Now the benefits of pets are astounding. I have my father living with me as I am his caregiver & he & my Buster are like 2 of a kind. When I'm not paying attention to Buster he is sitting at my dads feet. Ever night Buster lays at my dads bedroom door wasiting for him to awaske. My dads left side is not of much use as due to a stroke he lost about %15 use of that side but when Buster sits by his left dad sure can use that left hand to feed him junk or pet him. They have programs here in the USA in Minnesota where owners take their cats or dogs to senior citizen homes for them to love etc. It's proven benificial for the contact of the elderly. Thanks for a winderful discussion. Happy postings from Grandpa Bob.

I have had pets since I was 5 years old and will continue to have them until may last days. Even when I was travelling all over Europe I was never without my dogs. That is so sad to think that there will be children who are deprived of the joy or having a pet and it is even sadder to think that more pets will be euthanized because there are no homes for them

Hideous thought, isn't it? I grew up in Oz with nearly two acres to work with, and I can't say I envy Generation Null their chicken coop lifestyles... or the diabetes, and crappy pseudoculture. I would have got more exercise keeping up with my dog than anywhere else. We'd walk for miles, up and down steep slopes, through country that had never heard a lawnmower, let alone an X Box. Let's face it, this is nothing to do with "lifestyle choices", it's greed and developers and dismal design that are doing this. We have 5 million square kilometres to play with, and we're living like agoraphobic gerbils. The only positive thing about the current situation is that those brought up in the unnatural world are lousy pet owners.

I think weather or not kids have pets effects how they grow up. I think kids need pets...Growing up in an enviroment where they are not able to have pets makes kids weird. Kids need to be able to have something to take care of and I think it teaches them not only how to treat things and people nice but also teaches them responsibility and makes them happier!

What u told is correct now-a-days all r following the style that everybody have a some pet!! But some people r not interested to their pets after some days so it is very necessary to take some action abut these??

I agree with you. I have noticed it too. My husband and I adopted 2 kittens so we can teach our children the responsibility of caring for a pet. Our cats are indoor cats because I dont trust the neighborhood I live in. I wanted to get a small dog but my landlord wouldent allow it that is why we got the cats.

While I partially agree with you, vet bills have gone sky high with technology mirroring that of human hospitals. Owning a pet is significantly more expensive then it used to be. Also the high price of pedigreed pets can be a deterent.

pet size is declining cuz of changing lifestyles, but i don't think pet ownership is. the apartment dweller or person with small yard is not likely to have a dog. he/she would have a cat. or in apartments where pet ownership is more restricted, birds, hamsters, and yes even rats fill the bill. of course, none of the above are outdoor critters, and tend to have short lifespans, exept the birds. we must also not forget the tried and true fish. some fish are very tame and come up to you at feeding time. one let me pet it.