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By the way I think that in many ways pets and kids are apples and oranges in that there are plenty of differences!

For e.g. a pet is unlikely to become addicted to drugs! It's also unlikely to mug someone and you don't need to pay lots of money for its education. They can also be a lot quieter - but not always! There are some pretty yappy dogs out there!
Even so,
as far as i know pets don't draw on your walls, swear at you, yell that they hate you, lie to you, or disappoint you by getting constant Fs. They don't even wear hoodies and you find yourself caring a lot less about their sex life than you would your own offspring's. They don't even listen to music you hate at a volume you ALSO hate (I love reggae but my dad told me later he used to HATE it!)
I'm not saying ALL kids/teens are like this but I'm sure that NO pets are!

Pets don't seem to (usually) get so sick as kids do either.
I mean, not so often. I don't think they get asthma, or peanut alergies. You don't even need to take them to after school activities! They don't beg you for the latest toy, throw a tantrum in the supermarket (cos you don't take them there!) and come to that, this is another thing, don't do it too often or it is neglect but you CAN leave your pet at home and go out!
Try doing that with a kid!

My husband and I just have our golden retriever. We can't imagine life without the guy. We got him from the pound 6 years ago. Though he's treated entirely as a dog, I do admit to thinking of him sort of as fuzzy off spring.

He's so much less work than a kid it's not even comparable. I also enjoy doing work for the dog, which I don't think I'd enjoy with a child. The last time he was at the vet she went on about his temperment and how wonderful and healthy his coat looked. My husband said I was just beaming.

Being around Iggy (the dog) is just so calming. I love walking him and he's so use to be groomed it's easy. He's loves to go swimming and canoeing. He fits in with our lives so well. We got him at six months and he's never damaged anything, he doesn't do anything annoying at all really. A six year old child would be much more work, and in my opinion not nearly as cute.

I am right on the same page. I am ridiculous about my pets, but it has nothing to do with filling a child's spot in my heart. I am well aware of the huge difference between raising children and animals, and that is a positive for me. If I want to treat my pets well and lavish them with love, it is my right to do that, and it's not only humans who deserve to be raised and cared for. I receive a lot of flack for that belief from dad, who thinks it's a waste to expend money/energy toward any species but humans. I can see his point, but I'm an animal lover and that's just the way it is. There are animal lovers here for a reason too.

Most pets have a shorter life span, and I don't think it's healthy to put them on the same level as humans anyway. Most pet owners recover pretty well (after a time of grieving) from losing a pet, but when a parent loses a child it is much different from what I can tell. Throughout our lives, if we're lucky, we outlive our pets and go on to meet new ones, and many of us learn this during our own childhood.

They are a constant source of pleasure for me too, and the daily chores are not a problem. My husband and I race to the be the one to feed the dog. We love the look she gives us, and after she's done she comes over and gives you a "thank you burp." She's so sweet and loveable and like yours Ava, does not annoy me ever. I am so grateful to have her and want to treasure her for her entire life, even if that's ridiculous to some people.

I have to say that I disagree with it being unhealthy to put animals on a high level. I believe it all depends on the person and their experiences; their personality and their relationships with animals and/or people.

For me personally, I've never cried at a funeral, but then again, I've never lost anyone very close to me. But when an animal dies, I feel like it's the end of the world. I guess a part of it is that I feel animals are innocent, beautiful creatures, while my experiences with people have shown me that people in fact are not. All my relationships with people aren't as stable and rewarding.

I'm sorry to have to disagree with you, but I guess our experiences are different. It's kind of ironic because as I'm typing this my fiance is yelling at the TV screen at a videogame, while my baby is lying here looking gorgeous...saying that, I prefer animals.

I've never had a dog in my adult life - I travel lots with my job (& for pleasure)and I'd worry about managing the daily walks and leaving the dog alone all day. Cats though, are so independent - we can be away all day - when we return, they're happy to see us...not bounding up to us as a dog might do - more, Oh, you're home...
My sister or mother moves into our home when we're away - they have the run of the house including the cellar so we have no shortage of catsitters.
The few times in my life when I've been catless - I've usually managed to share someone else's moggy - in college one of the tutors had a gorgeous Maine Coon - he spent many hours sleeping on my desk. (the cat not the tutor!)
I actually don't understand people who don't like animals - I can understand some people can't have pets with their lifestyles, living arrangements, jobs, allergies etc but to say you don't like animals - incredible...
I feel sorry for people who have never known the pleasure that flows from taking an animal into your heart and life...

Deborah, I absolutely can't believe it when people say they don't like animals. It's not that I automatically hate them, it's just that I think it's so weird. I've grown up with animals, and the first time I'd ever heard someone talk about this, in 11th grade...it was an awkward situation, to say the least. At the time I had a necklace on that said "THOMAS" on it and was in the shape of a cat head. This girl in my chemistry class asked, "Who's Thomas?" I replied, "My cat." She simply stated, "I'm not a pet person." I was taken aback, first of all because how can you NOT be an animal person? And second of all because she said "pet" like it was the sickest word on earth. (That's why I don't use the word "pet" to this day, I prefer "animal" or "son/daughter" or, simply, "my babies.") BUT, then again, if I would have told her, "I'm not a kid person," she would have probably freaked out the way I did. So, I can't really complain.

I have to admit I don't really trust people who don't like animals.

My cats are so friendly they are like dogs in some ways, they have never met a stranger, just a potential person to pet them. If someone comes over and my two big cats don't pounce on them, I wonder about the person.

Animals can sense things in people that other people miss.

One of my cats is a great judge of people - she seems to assess the person and then allows them to pat or play with her OR she sits with her back to them just out of reach...
She's usually right too...

I'm open to disagreement on this one TimsGirl, so that's okay with me. I love animals as much as humans too. Perhaps my statement about that was indoctrination...my dad and I have ongoing disagreements about it and I guess it's made me feel like my preference for animals is somehow wrong. It's a subject I am not decided on one way or another.

One long-running argument we have is he thinks it's wrong to give money or volunteer for animal rescue orgainzations, when there are so many human children in need. Also, he thinks scientific experimentation on animals is a good thing if it helps save humans. I really don't know how to counter his arguments well enough (oral debate is not my forte), but I feel differently. If I see an animal hurting it pains me as much as it would watching a human hurting. So, I think you and I are actually more alike on this then may have seemed from my last post.

I've read debates in the newspaper about how if they run an article about animals in need, donations pour in, but not so much for children. Apparently people as a whole have a stronger sympathy for animals than children. I can understand that, because I have the same inclinations to rescue or care for animals. I agree with you about their inherent goodness and innocence.

I HATE animal research but I can understand it when it comes to medical reasons.

An example is the artificial knee replacements that are available for people, these were studied and developed on animals first. I have even met a dog that had a prolonged life because she had her knees replaced. If I remember correctly the artificial heart was also tested on animals first.

What really disgusts me is when animals are used for things like household cleaners and make ups and so forth. I have read that the testing that is done for these things according to the law does not require animals but they do it anyway, it may be cheaper.

As far as who I give my money to for charity...its my money and my choice. Its not something I am likely to discuss with anyone anyway because I know how people are, very callous.