Top Ten Reasons to Have a Pet

10. Teach kids about selflessness. Owning a pet teaches discipline and responsibility to a child. Children can learn how to share their time, savings, and companionship with a being that is solely reliant on them. If your kids really want a pet that you know they're not ready for, start smaller: if they can't handle a dog, start with a hamster. If they can't handle a hamster, opt for a fish…and if a fish is too great a burden of responsibility, begin with aTamagotchi.

9. Pets can increase your sense of security — personal, private, and psychological. Depending on whether you have a feline friend or a canine companion, cats and dogs can increase your sense of security. How so? Dogs can augment personal security when walking alone at night, while cats can ward off potential burglars by meowing to alert you to thieves' proximity. And because you know that someone you trust is always around, any pet, small or large, winged or ground-bound, can instil a sense of mental well-being by merely being close-by.

8. Personal growth 101: For pet owners. Of the countless reasons to own a pet, learning invaluable life skills that enable a person to become a better person is one of the most rewarding. Learning to share love, provide affection, and give attention to a pet are three qualities that enhance the personal quality of human life. Not convinced? Ask any pet owner about the satisfaction of caring for a pet…and whether they'd do it all over again if they could.

7. Need an excuse to get physical? Exercise is a great side effect of owning an active pet. If your pet requires frequent physical stimulus, you'll find that the amount of time you spend outdoors will increase dramatically. Dogs and other quadrupeds revel in enjoying larger spaces than the indoors allow, and will appreciate the time you make to take them on walks. Who knows? Your waistline might even thank you for it.

6. Preparing for parenthood? If you can't keep the fish alive, you'd better rethink your potential parenting skills. Puppies are especially good primers for parenthood, since, like children, they require bladder-control training and need lots of hands-on care and affection. If you're practising for a baby someday, but not ready to take the leap, why not rescue a pooch from a local shelter and put your care-giving capabilities to the test?

5. Looking for a constant companion? As well as love, pets offer continual daily companionship. Even pets like fish, which have a lower maintenance factor than dogs or cats, can be steady friends. Though some pets require frequent litter care and physical attention, like walking or play-time, it's all part and parcel of pet ownership and can quickly become a much-loved routine for you both.

4. It's a great way to meet people. People who have the same types of pets often exchange stories and compare experiences about the progress and histories of their pets, and generally love to talk about them with those who show interest. Whether you're walking your canine in the park or talking about your exotic reptile collection at work, pet ownership breaks the conversational ice and generates curiosity from strangers and friends alike.

3. Getting and giving unconditional love. Animals give you one thing better than R-E-S-P-E-C-T. They give you unquestioning, unbridled, unwavering love. Did your boyfriend or girlfriend suddenly take the high road, or your boss hand you your final paycheque? Never fear, Fluffy is near. Treat your pet with the respect it deserves and you will be repaid in kind with lifelong attention and affection, especially when you need it most.

2. Take a stand on a humanitarian cause. There are so many animals in need of adoption, yet not enough people willing to make the commitment and sacrifice it takes to look after them all. Make a difference in the future of a living being: figure out which animal would best fit your lifestyle, then adopt a pet at your local shelter. Go to the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies to find out more about the closest humane society or pet shelter in your neighbourhood. Sleep better knowing that you have taken on the responsibility of raising a pet while rescuing an animal in need. Your pet will love you for it.

1. Pets are a prescription for good health. How can owning a four-footed friend or winged companion help you live longer? Pets can increase a person's level of activity and ease stress. Medical studies have shown that seniors benefit especially from pet ownership, since owning a pet can decrease blood pressure, fight loneliness, comfort the pain of a departed spouse, and combat depression.






by Viviane Kertesz