Pets

Now as you all know, I don't yet have human children. I do have two furry "children" however. The way I see it, like human children, pets can't help it that we chose to bring them in to our lives. They're just here on this earth, shaped by the hand they're dealt. Therefore, if you decide to take on the responsibility of pet ownership, you need to look at for what it really is: an adoption. That pet is now your kid and you owe it to that creature to give it the best life you possibly can. It's not like they ask for much: food, water, safety, potty breaks, stimulation, and love. The same basic needs you would give to your baby.

Obviously, there are good and bad parents out there. Some people are just shitty. What really pisses me off is when people are good pet owners until they have human spawn. Then the cat or the dog gets brushed aside or even gotten rid of to make room for the baby. You wouldn't get rid of your first born just because you had another, would you? I see posts online all the time for, "free cat or dog to a good home, the only reason we're giving him/her up is because we just had a new baby and we don't have time anymore." This infuriates me. Maybe the pet goes to a good home, but did it deserve that? No. Even when you ignore your dog because you're busy with other shit or something, they still greet you at the door every damn day with the same breathless enthusiasm and unconditional love that you just can't find in humans because we're not capable of that, in my opinion. Cats are slightly different, of course, but they still grow fond of their owners and come to appreciate their family and their settings and they love us too, just not as outwardly as dogs. Cats are gotten rid of the most because people tend to view them as pieces of furniture or something. Like they have no feelings one way or another where they live.

Another reason people get rid of their pets (especially in the military) is due to a move, or as we call it, a PCS. They just don't feel like going through the effort of getting the shots and forms and paying the extra fees to bring the pet with them, so they ditch 'em and forget about it. It makes me sick all the times I see this posted around here. I want to call each one individually and bitch them out, but it wouldn't do any good, they're still gonna be shitty people.

All I'm trying to say is that we chose to take on the responsibility of pet ownership, so everyone needs to see that out through the end, through thick and thin, no matter what. Give a dog a home and he gives you his whole heart and soul. When I look in to Zeke's eyes, I see nothing but pure love and affection reflected back at me. I could never leave him behind. The year that I had to live without him while I was in training was the worst year of my life, just as it was for single mothers that were without their children. People act like I'm crazy for loving my pets and all animals as much as I do, but I see no other way because that's how I was raised. Thankfully I married a man who thinks along the same lines. He may not love ALL animals like I do, but our pets are our children, and we both love them unconditionally, and are committed to them for their entire lives. When we have human children one day, we'll incorporate our pets and our babies into each others' lives, like you would do with siblings. No one will get left behind or forgotten about. I just wish everyone would feel the same.