I Regret Getting Pets
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Sometimes you have an epiphany – an instantaneous realization of exactly what you lot want, or maybe of what went wrong. But sometimes information technology's non instantaneous. Sometimes it's a slow dawning realization that takes weeks or months to come to terms with. That's how the realization that I regret getting pets came to me.
I Beloved My Pets
Ok, earlier the brigade of pet lovers starts crucifying me– hear me out. I have four cats and two dogs, and I love the little buggers. I would never dump them at an animal shelter or give them less than the care that they deserve. Since I adopted them, they are a part of the family. They are my responsibility, and I volition do my all-time to make sure each and every one of them has the longest, most comfortable life possible. I mean seriously, I spent over iv thousand dollars this twelvemonth on vet bills for one of my cats!
So now that I got that disclaimer out of the manner, allow me talk near why I regret getting pets. Possibly information technology volition help someone simply starting out in life make up one's mind to look on pet ownership, and mayhap it will assist others realize that adopting a domestic dog or true cat is in fact the right option for them. Either way – you should definitely read this before getting that new puppy or kitten!
Why Do I Regret Getting Pets?
Every bit much as I beloved them, I can't help just think most how much different my life would be if I didn't take them. I could have taken that chore in California, or found a place to rent in Savannah and Pennsylvania rather than buying a home. I could quit my job on a whim and travel the world, or even do something every bit simple as take a spontaneous vacation. Unfortunately, none of these things are feasible with the pets that I have.
I Regret Getting a Canis familiaris
I call up the dogs are a bigger regret than the cats. Cats are piece of cake – I was able to take weekend trips whenever I wanted when I just had them. Merely that's just not possible with the dogs. You lot admittedly tin't exit them alone and go on an overnight trip, much less an entire weekend get-abroad. I mean sure, you could exist a terrible pet owner and leave the dog chained upwards outside for its entire life and not worry almost such things, but that'due south just not my style. I consider all my pets to be members of the family, and I would never subject them to that type of handling.
Instead, I have to hire a pet-sitter if I want to get away. I by and large use Rover to find someone who loves dogs and volition take intendance of my babies the way I would. I pay a ton of money to have someone accept care of my little guys, so if you love animals, it might be a great side hustle for you.
But I digress. Outside of the disability to travel (which cats limit also), there are iii main reasons that I regret owning a canis familiaris more than my cats, and those are the expense, the lack of mobility, and all the fourth dimension and energy that dog ownership requires.
Dogs are Expensive
Dogs are also crazy expensive. I mean, sure, they aren't most as expensive every bit a horse, but nonetheless, it adds up. Their food costs thirty bucks every ii weeks, and I'yard constantly paying vet bills. One had an ear infection, then some other had a weird pare rash. You have to take them to the veterinarian at the first sign of a problem to make sure it's not serious, and to give them the care that they need. I have them on a wellness plan, so I'm paying a hundred bucks a month just for that.
All the other things that dogs need toll coin as well. I pay for their flea and tick prevention, which is a monthly pill that helps prevents the parasites. I besides want to brand sure they accept enough chew toys and basic available so that they don't destroy my stuff (Coyote ate my couch when he was a puppy – on the first day I had it!). Information technology'due south important to keep energetic breeds agile, or they will do stuff similar that.
Lack of Mobility
Merely the biggest issues with having the dogs is the limitations on housing. Do you lot have any idea how many landlords decline to rent to someone with a dog over 50 pounds? If y'all guessed most of them, you'd be right. I regret getting my dogs because having them has seriously limited my mobility. I can't look for amend opportunities elsewhere because moving is prohibitively expensive. I'd accept to sell a house and then buy a new business firm. Both of those things toll tons of money unless you lot can go lucky and sell in a massive real estate upswing.
A few months ago, I got the most amazing job offer of my life. It was for nearly 120K per year, and it was dorsum in Long Beach, CA. As you all know, I turned the job down. My official reason is that moving back California won't help me on the path to financial freedom, and while that's technically true, it'due south only truthful because I have and then many pets.
The existent reason I turned the job down is because of all of my pets. Moving dorsum to California with them would be incredibly expensive. Finding a domicile where we could all live in the area would cost me more than the raise every twelvemonth – in fact I dubiety I'd exist able to afford it at all.
The thing is, if I didn't have them, I would take taken the job. I could accept hands plant a one-bedroom apartment or roommate state of affairs for around yard a month in the surface area (ok-maybe not easily, just those options do exist). Subsequently my housing costs, I'd nonetheless exist taking home over 100K a twelvemonth. That would exist totally worth it for a few years, and it would actually help me on my journeying to fiscal independence.
Time and Energy
The terminal reason why I regret my dogs more my cats is that they take upward and so much fourth dimension and energy. And honestly, I don't take enough of it for them. I'd love to take them to the dog park (if we had one nearby) or hire a domestic dog walker (if I had the extra income) but I can't do those things.
Although they are incredibly well behaved, Coyote is also a high-energy breed and thus very playful. He wants to go with usa everywhere, he wants to play all the time, and when he was a puppy, he destroyed stuff if he didn't have a positive outlet for his energy.
I feel atrocious that I can't provide him with all the time and attention that he needs, but I practice my all-time. He'southward a rescue dog, I actually establish him abandoned in the California desert- and I retrieve that having a loving domicile where he'due south cared for fifty-fifty if he doesn't get all of the attention he would like was a much improve option than sending him to a shelter. Coyote is a really good dog who gets along well with all the cats and anybody else with who he comes in contact.
And there's likewise all the poop. I'd much rather clean a little box every 24-hour interval then take to conduct little baggies of canis familiaris poop with me on walks or make clean up canis familiaris poop from my yard every day. That part about canis familiaris ownership actually sucks.
I Regret Getting a True cat
Truthfully, I don't regret my cats as much equally I regret my dogs. They are much easier to take intendance of. When I was just a crazy cat lady, I could take weekend trips and not have to worry about whether they'd destroy the house when I was gone. Sure, they'd get mad and throw a few things off the counter. Simply overall, they can take care of themselves for a few days.
Still, I do regret getting four cats. Fifty-fifty I admit that's a scrap much. If I only had two cats like a normal person, I'd be able to exercise almost of the things that I want to do. I could have constitute a cheap one-bedchamber rental in California that accepts cats. I could move them cross-state without having to stop every two hours (ok, to exist fair, most of that is for me).
Simply all the same, even with only 1 cat, my dreams of traveling the world would have to be put on agree. Cats don't travel well, and there are tons of rules and restrictions to bringing domestic animals beyond international borders. And with four cats, it'due south basically a piping dream.
What Should Yous Exercise if You Regret Getting Pets?
My first instinct is to tell you to suck it up and accept intendance of the pet. It's function of your family. Simply I know that's not realistic or advisable for anybody. If you lot have pet and tin can no longer offer information technology the care that it deserves, it'southward perfectly acceptable to re-home it.
Notwithstanding, you should practice your enquiry before re-homing a pet. Make sure you are giving your pet away to good owners, where it will be happy, healthy, and well taken care of. Hither are some great tips for re-homing if that'south what you need to do.
Please avert dropping your pet off at a shelter. Most of them are then overrun with homeless animals that most only become a few days to get adopted -and go euthanized if they don't. If you can't find a good new home, at to the lowest degree find a no kill shelter.
What Am I Going to Do?
Every bit I said above, I'm going to continue living my life and taking care of my half-dozen babies to the best of my ability. I'g more than capable of taking care of them, and they do enhance my life in many immeasurable means. I'm sacrificing my freedom for them, and I'grand more than okay with that choice.
I didn't write this because I'm going to requite them up or change anything that I'm doing. Information technology's more of a cathartic post. I'k writing information technology to acknowledge my feelings. Hopefully this volition testify others who may be in the same situation know that they aren't alone. People don't talk almost these types of regrets and the means that having pets tin can concur them dorsum, but I remember it's of import to have these conversations. It can prevent people from getting pets who probably shouldn't have them. In addition, it can give others a realistic idea of what to await if they choose to adopt.
So, if you lot regret getting pets, it's not the end of the globe. It doesn't brand you a bad person. In fact, it's best to admit the feelings you are having so you tin determine what the best style to move forrad is, for both yous and them.
Source: https://partnersinfire.com/lifestyle/regret-getting-pets/
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