We still love our furballs, but children change how much time we spend with them
Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comPet woes: First comes baby, then the doghouse
Seeded on Sun Aug 15, 2010 5:39 PM EDT (msnbc.com)
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Were these people paid to do this study??? With real money???
Incredible -
Why does it matter to you, or are you just looking for something to complain about?
The bottom line is this: people who open their homes to a pet need to take full responsibility for the pet for it's entire lifetime- not just until the babies arrival- dogs and cats are sensitive animals and they deserve to be treated the same way before and after the arrival of a child- not only is it the right thing to do it is also the best thing to do for the entire family- what is better than seeing a family pushing a stroller with their dog along for the walk?- what better way to teach a child responsibility and compassion than thru the care of an animal that depends on it's owners to give it time and veterinary care? The benefits of owning an animal are endless- once a human takes a pet into their home it is a family member and nothing should change that short of death.....
No kids, eh? I felt exactly the same way you did before I became a parent but my experiences over the last year and half have given me some lessons in priorities.
The fact is when you have finite resources - be it time or money - you have to decide who or what gets precedence. I will do as much as I can to care for my cats only after I’m confident my child’s needs are met.
We have always taken our cats in for annual check-ups, but out of nowhere one of them developed a slew of health issues this year. We were bleeding so much money at the vet’s office without any improvement that we definitely discussed putting her down. We don’t live paycheck to paycheck, but we aren’t rolling in money either so we had to figure out at what point trying to fix the cat would impact our ability to care for our child.
It took us six months and a second vet to get all of her issues under control. We seem to be in a good spot now, but I very much sympathize with people who make tough choices when it comes down to Fido’s skyrocketing health costs vs. keeping a roof over their child’s head.
I think that showing a dog or cat less attention doesn't necessarily mean it's being neglected. Often only-children feel neglected when a new child is brought into a family, but an adjustment simply needs to be made to the amount of attention parents can reasonably show to each of two children. The same goes for dogs and cats. They might not be the center of attention anymore, but that doesn't mean they are not cared for or loved. A child might also grow up to be a third life-long friend of the animal as well.
Wet Nose Guide Team
wetnoseguide.com
My husband and I decided over 45 years ago when we got married that we did not want human children so our cats have had it better than most all animals in households with kids. Through the decades, our little cat families have had stable, safe, quiet lives and have received consistent love, time, care and attention. To many of us who have no parenting desire and are wise enough not to confuse it with nurturing instincts, sweet, wonderful animals more than adequately fulfill that role.
I do hope that people who have animals before choosing to have kids will be considerate of the first residents and not abandon them physically or emotionally. Animals don't understand why the new, noisy stranger usurps their family position and can react badly which places their status in further decline. To deal with the confusion and perhaps jealousy requires monumental patience and extraordinary parenting skills which can only provide good practice for when the new baby turns two and, of course, later when the teen years strike!
I loved your response. I never had children because, frankly, I don't like them. My husband and I turned our love towards our three cats over the years, and I can say both ourselves and our cats have been much better for it.
I wouldn't make too much out of a survey with a 30% response rate. If you are interested in Human-Animal Interaction research see these two books that are coming out in October:
http://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4318085.aspx
http://www.brookespublishing.com/store/books/mccardle-71578/index.htm
The researchers don't address the benefits children receive from pet ownership. Even very young infants will reach out to a dog or a cat, even if they have never encountered one before.
I love my dog. He brings so much joy to my life. Even after a bad day at work, my mood immediately brightens when I get home and he rushes to greet me.
With the arrival of our child, our animals continue to receive the same amount of love and care. We have 4 cats and a dog. Our daughter loves them, and they her. Having pets will teach our daughter responsibility and compassion.
I think there should be a note that when people have babies, of course all the time heads straight to taking care of the baby. Pretty much every aspect of life (friends, social time, etc.) gets scaled back, not just time with Fido or Fluffy, because of this new life. But as kids get older, the pet gets attention not only from "mom and dad" but from junior as well. Another thought, many people board their pets at the vet when they travel. With kids, traveling is often curtailed or most of my friends travel with the pet and the kids meaning less trips to the vet for boarding. Traveling with no kids = Europe, with kids= camping or the beach where it would be easy to bring the dogs.
I'm sure we all remember what happened to poor Lady in Walt Disney's cartoon feature, "Lady and the Tramp" after the wee one came along. It shouldn't happen to a dog! Perhaps we all remember that it was Lady and Tramp who ended up saving the baby from that dastardly rat. This film made a lasting impression on me when I saw it as a child, including the scene when Lady ends up at the dog pound with all the other discarded pets. Perhaps that's why as an adult, I've rescued all my dogs from shelters. I hope the people reading this do, too. I'm so glad my parents didn't dump my dog, Dusty, after I was born. They would have robbed me of a wonderful companion. He was my closest and dearest friend throughout childhood. www.beanieandcruiser.com
Time and money are in shorter supply. Duh!!
Duh back at you. Planning ahead for those times when time and money are short are part of pet ownership and responsibility. Having a baby when you are having trouble taking care of your pets is totally irresponsible. Plan ahead before adopting a pet, adopting a baby, or getting pregnant. Grow up.
Some people who have children would be much better off getting a dog instead.