Why Do People Have Pets?

L[Deactivated] on 14/09/2021 - 10:20
Last edited 14/09/2021 - 11:17 by 1 other user

Personally, I feel pets are always a burden financially, emotionally, and environmentally.

I am totally in support of native species who got destroyed by pets turned feral. If there is no demand there will be no supply. People who breed these dogs or cats do breed specifically because there is a demand. Humans already go through a lot of trauma and personal losses, why add a few more (pets) to your life which is totally avoidable. Is companionship a reason? Or do humans want to feel special? Domestication is fairly recent in our evolutionary past. No other animal will take care of another species in the wild(If they do, we will consider as a wonder). Then why do humans do it? Is pets are one of the side effects of having an analytical and creative brain like the creation of religion or have people fell for marketing fairly recently like diamonds and Halloween or Fathers, Mothers, Valentines days, etc.

Can you tell what is the reason why you have pets because it is beyond my sense why people have pets?

Pets

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aerona on 16/09/2021 - 12:01

I think pets are ok if you are Just starting a family so there is more entertainment for the pet or live in a household with extended friends and family. Letting friends or family look after your pet is abit lonely if you got one pet. If one pass away the likelihood of replacing that second pet, you will replace that second pet. Then the cycle continues…

Conclusion: good while starting family or if WFH for another 15 years or whatever the pets life expectancy is. Otherwise the pet will have a lonely life.

Have a mate who owns a dog that lives in abour 25 square meter yard in mostly paved area. No one really pays attention to that dog other than me visiting and them feeding it. Saddest thing i seen.
Greem85 on 16/09/2021 - 12:13

Domestication is fairly recent in our evolutionary past

Civilization is fairly recent in our evolutionary past as well. So is the internet - why do you use it? You can apply this logic to just about anything.

Pets give their owners (mostly) unconditional love, which makes most people feel good about themselves. They also:
- help children develop their emotions,
- play a crucial part in many medical therapies,
- are our companions from ~40,000/25,000 BC (dogs) and ~7000BC (cats) till today.

OP seems to either want to troll badly, or was raised without a childhood pet :)
Belts on 16/09/2021 - 12:47

Why should I have a husband or partner? Is it so I can have a baby to finally satisfy that inherent biological urge to procreate? Hmm. Can’t be that because science over the last few decades has shown me I can have a baby without a husband if I wanted to.

Recent experience has also taught me they’re emotionally and financially draining, so it’s not like having a husband or partner is a logical decision, according to OP. Hmm…

Wait! Maybe it’s companionship and intimacy. That’s it!

No…I like my company and I can certainly take care of business myself (better, in fact).

So OP - are you arguing that men are also redundant?
Gumster on 16/09/2021 - 13:21

I can have a shitty day at work, come home
Dog is happy to see me
I can leave for 5 minutes dog is happy to see me.

Being wanted or having something to look forward to when you get home is great!

Sure there's some annoyances it's not always great, but on the daily my dog can cheer me up and provide support and companionship.
It also is great encouragement to exercise/walk my dog
Gives you something to talk about other than having kids.

In short some people like them. Some don't. Some people don't way up the responsibilities and end up with an unwanted pet they aren't always cute puppies
- Hangryuman on 16/09/2021 - 16:05
  
  'Dog is happy to see me'
  
  Owner thinks 'ah - he's wagging his tail - he loves me - aw !'
  
  Dog thinks 'OK jailor - you've kept me locked up all day - now where's the food goddamit …'
  
  non-English speaking pets are great for people who don't play well with other humans to project all their desired feelings of love, warmth and affection onto …
  
  and - if you die inside your closed house with your cat locked inside, after a couple of days of no food, your cat is likely to eat your face
  
  ah - food at last ! (owner provided) (hmmm - tastes a bit off …)
  - Gumster on 20/09/2021 - 23:01
    
    That's a bit of a morbid outlook on things.
    
    There's definitely some projection of feelings but dogs/cats can show empathy and can express
    Happy/Angry/Hungry/Scared or equivalents as different behavior. source
    
    If your locked in a room with no food you would start to look at humans/pets as food as well.
ThadtheChad on 16/09/2021 - 14:59

+8

Not being into pets is one thing, but to genuinely not understand why folks go for it, and assess ownership in terms of cost etc screams red flags to me.

That is some cold hearted borderline psychopathic mentality.

OP, do you have a skin-suit in your basement?
- Greem85 on 16/09/2021 - 15:14
  
  +1
  
  "It rubs the lotion on its skin. It does this whenever it's told." ;)
lazarski on 16/09/2021 - 15:52

+3

a pet is emotionally a burden?

This point really stands out as strange to me. Like did you have a pet that abused you?

"No other animal will take care of another species in the wild" This is wrong, you aren't even doing research just strange points about evolution.

Animals make interspecies friendships, adopt within their own species and sometimes other species.

"Is pets are one of the side effects"

op I think you've forgotten about interacting with things in the real world and need to go outside.
Posts reads like an emotionless AI is commenting on something

well i've read some of his other comments and I think he needs to be on a list. concerning stuff
Hangryuman on 16/09/2021 - 15:57

I think I saw some history saying that cats in early settlements growing cereals, e.g. 10,000 years ago in Turkey, or Egypt, cats may have kept rats and mice out of grain stores, so earned their keep immediately

and dogs similarly may have helped warn or scare off bears from early settlements, and possibly even helped with hunting large animals like wooly mammoths - dogs as pack-hunting animals may even have taught humans a thing or two about hunting

I've also read that wild savage wolves can transform into fluffy lapdogs in as few as 6 generations or somesuch

today I saw a Paris Hilton clone in a pink jumpsuit holding an almost-didn't-see tiny handbag-sized dog in arms and thought - there's some bling

a few years back newly rich Chinese were similarly flaunting their wealth by carrying such tiny dogs

and I was told a nearby neighbour paid maybe $6000 for a dog -

so yeah furbaby - or WOFTAM - only the owner can tell …

I'm a cat person - and hate barking dogs - the bane of our quiet neighbourhood when owners gather at the cafe over the road - so I love the stories about owners getting bull terriers for protection, which then later rip the face off their small child

kinda like guns in the US - they buy them for protection (from scary black people?) - then a whole lotta gun deaths in the home are accidental when white kid picks up gun to play, or teenage kid angry with parents picks one up and shoots his parents - yay FREEDOM - right ?
ntwigz on 16/09/2021 - 16:10

+3

Look at all the health benefits to pet ownership. Its scientifically proven. My cat barely costs me anything (literally only food and dewormer) but reduces my stress and keeps me healthy, saving me much in potential healthcare bills. If you want a tangible benefit, that is it. Intangibly, I love the damn thing and it makes me happy.

https://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?q=pet+ownership+and+st…
DryScissors on 16/09/2021 - 17:44

Fark Breeders and people who support them.

Especially if you bought a pug.
BargainKen on 16/09/2021 - 19:41

Cheaper than having a wife
Empharand on 16/09/2021 - 19:55

+1

I feel pets are always a burden financially, emotionally, and environmentally.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad (but factual) news but humans are considerably worse than pets when comparing the abovementioned. Some people prefer to have 'Fur babies' and personally I respect that and salute them; other people prefer to have 10+ kids….
knackers on 16/09/2021 - 20:34

+4

My border collie is pure joy.. super intelligent, keen to impress, greets everyone with a smile and a wag of the tail. Dogs encourage their caretaker to be more active and more social, which leads to better health outcomes.
Cyphar on 16/09/2021 - 23:34

You have these things that are 100% loyal to you. They are always happy around you and are 100% dependant on you. All they ask if for your love back.

You cannot get that feeling with any human. Human relationships have love but also conflict, difference of opinion, etc.
smartinet on 16/09/2021 - 23:50

+1

People have pets because they have a heart!

Perhaps you could do with a pet to aide your mental health…
skillet on 17/09/2021 - 09:18

+3

Kids grow up better with pets.
fl360 on 17/09/2021 - 09:30

-1

Because they need the emotional support which they cannot get from the other humans surrounding these persons.

Some humans can fill that gap by having hobbies, like travelling, fishing, motoring, "buying a partner" etc but these things cost a lot of money and some depends on the weather.
atwilliams on 17/09/2021 - 09:32

+1

Often the joy and companionship of having pets significantly out weighs any "financial, emotional and environmental burden". In summary, they enrich the fabric of life for you and those around you (particularly kids).

I know that our house is a happier place due to our 2 dogs.
bobolo on 17/09/2021 - 10:51

+1

I don't have a pet. But life is not always about avoiding "burden"

Enjoy it….albeit responsibly

You only get 1 life
vcs641988 on 17/09/2021 - 11:50

+1

I guess we all have different reasons to get pets. Some get it for love and companionship, others get it for status especially if its a fancy or expensive breed. I personally have had pets my whole life. I've always adopted. Animals are intelligent and caring. I enjoy the companionship, love and affection I get from them. I dont mind looking after. Its sometimes a lot of work. And as a family we rarely get to go on a holiday together as we cannot leave them behind and we do not trust anyone else to care for them while we are away. But the joy they give us is worth it. Animals are so pure and innocent. to them the sight of you brings them a lot of joy. I went through a depression phase after my breakup and I can say that having a pet helped me get through it. Knowing that my dogs would always love me and never leave me no matter what, brought me comfort and also removed negative thoughts of wanting to kill myself. After all who would look after them if something happened to me. There are down sides. Like their limited lifespan and deaing with loss after getting emotionally attached to them. But i'd like to think they also make me stronger and braver in dealing with life's problems.

In the same way I dont get why people like kids. I mean you spend so much money on them, You sacrifice way more then u would with a pet. During their teen years they may or may not get into bad company. They can be hurtful and ungrateful and when they finally mature as adults they leave you and move out to start their own family.. Whats the point? you helped overpopulate the earth? Just added fuel to the fire. Living in Australia you might not understand the numerous problems with overpopulation. But if you travel enough then you would know how most problems are because of that. At least having an animal you know they will be by your side till death does you apart.
silentman on 17/09/2021 - 12:54

+1

Never question people why they love someone. Question those who hate
anastasiastarz on 27/09/2021 - 07:09

Animals are better than people :P

Why Do People Have Pets?

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