I've mentioned my cats here often enough that anybody who happens to stumble upon the site can guess how I feel about them. They are beautiful, affectionate, sociable, and (to me at least) very funny. High entertainment value from these two.
I read the columnists on MSN Money pretty regularly and one of them recently did an essay along the lines of "why you can't afford your dog." I am guessing that this is a person who's never had a close relationship with a pet ... it's pretty hard to be coldly objective about the cost/benefit analysis of a pet if you really love it.
We just spent over a thousand dollars on dental work for one of our little monsters. The MSN writer would probably have a fit. And yes, if money is tight, pets don't get specialized health care. But then, when money is tight, the people in the house don't get specialized health care, either. This was one of those times when the choice has to be made between expense now or expense later. Not long ago the choice was an auto repair that wasn't strictly necessary, just advisable.
Since the economic downturn, I have seen a lot of unrepaired cars driving around Los Angeles. Shelters have seen a lot more surrendered pets, too. There are times when people have to make painful choices, and the cost/benefit analysis does come into play.
This time, we were able to choose to take care of the pet. Some careful money juggling was performed in order to make it possible. Because I think once you have the pet, you have a commitment to take care of it - just as with a child. The time to think about the costs is before adopting the pet.
There are plenty of people out there who, I think, shouldn't have pets at all, like the girls who get the pocket-sized dogs and drag them around by the neck because they don't actually want to be with the dog; they just want to be accessorized by the dog. Actually, anybody who drags their dog along by the neck because they can't be bothered to take a class in which they and the dog learn how to walk together. Or the people who get cats and then let them roam around getting eaten by coyotes and hit by cars. Or the people who don't spay/neuter.
Pets will never add monetary value to your household, unless you happen to have a champion show animal and turn yourself into a stud manager. Pets cost money. But in return they provide some beneficial intangibles. When there's a close and affectionate relationship between human and pet, it's been shown that the human is healthier than a comparable human without a pet.
And then there's the entertainment/emotional value. It's great to start your day with a belly laugh because your cat just plopped out of the rolled-up blanket when you made the bed, or to get that warm fuzzy feeling because she meets you at the door when you come home.
Our two beastly beasts have a mighty good life; a safe, healthy life. Whatever we've spent on them has been amply recompensed in purrs, laughs, and cuddles. I think they contribute important qualities to our home, and the expense of keeping them is within our means.
This particular entry doesn't have much to do with health/fitness on the face of it. But if you've ever loved a pet, I'll bet you get what I'm talking about. There is something healthy about taking good care of a dependent creature. Sometimes we may feel that we can barely take care of ourselves, but as long as that pet is happy and healthy, we've done something right.
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