I’ve only ever had one pet in my life, and I’ve never felt the need for another. Now hear me out, I still think dogs and cats are adorable, but I’ve never found the wanted to welcome one into my home.
My family hasn’t owned a pet since we moved to Kansas, so…a long time ago. I’ve always been pummeled with questions on why I don’t have one, and now, I can confidently answer that question with one sentence: my life is great without one.
Animals like dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, you name it, didn’t used to be domesticated. House pets became popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which in the long run, is a long time compared to how long animals have been around. Domesticated dogs used to be used for hunting and helping on the farm and domesticated cats were used for hunting mice and rats that fed on grain.
I have nothing against people who own pets or people who love pets, but I don’t understand why a pet has to be a core part of someone’s life.
Another reason I don’t want a pet is because they are more work than I can handle. Pets constantly have to be fed, walked and picked up after and they contribute so little in return. If you have a fish, you have to clean its tank so it doesn’t die. You also have to potty train your pets so they aren’t leaving feces around your home.
On top of that, they are expensive to adopt when you are first getting one. Other than the costs of adoption, you have to buy a collar, a leash, you have to hire a vet, you have to buy food bowls, water bowls, tanks, food, toys, beds and get all of these treatments to ensure that your pet can live a nice long life.
The final thing is all of the noise. Pets constantly need attention and pets, like dogs and cats, whine, bark, meow, scratch you and follow you around until they get attention. Caged pets have annoying features in their cages, like the wheels and other toys that they play with at the worst times.
For what it’s worth, I’m not against pets. A lot of my extended family members have pets and I enjoy playing with them, but they are more work, more money and more annoying than I am willing to sacrifice to own one.
