No pet because

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

We do not have a pet, in part because we would eventually be put in the position of having to decide on health care for the pet, versus any kind of support & care for human beings in my life. (I tend to be species-centric.) The level of health care that seems to be becoming standard for pets is not something I have adjusted to. Yet I would feel social pressure as well as personal desire to offer pets everything possible. Knowing that, I choose not to have a pet. (There are other reasons, too).

Could it be that as the standard for pet health care rises, there may be more and more people who should not have a pet? As it becomes possible to do more for pets in their illness and disabilities are pet owners becoming obliged to do those things? Is pet ownership becoming relatively more expensive than it was a generation ago, putting pets beyond the budget of more people?

Nonetheless, it seems like more people have more pets per household than ever before. I don't have a pet, but I sure don't lack for animals in my life!

[PrincessPerky]

In a way I think pets are for the rich...pet is a word that implies pampered individual..and I have no room nor money for one of those in my life. We do have a cat that visits out back and we do share scraps and love with it...but we do not have a pet..she works, catching mice, opossums and other rodents that would come out of the woods in back....

I would like to have the same kind of relationship with a guard dog..but dogs are not bred for that kind of loyalty with protection these days....besides not to sure how well a dog can hunt

This is not to put down folks with pets, I don't go for lots of splurges, just one womans opinion of pets.

[simpleyme]

I am not one to talk since I recently added 2 pets to my house so I feel like I am running a farm LOL

I grew up on a farm and DH grew up on a ranch so we view animals as animals ,we are in charge of their care ,but my dog is now 8 and I worry about the decisions I will be forced to make as she ages we recently went to a shot clinic to get her shots was 75 bucks in all ,crazy expensive but a must

I have a bird and they usually just drop dead, my 2 new pets are rabbits, they are considered exotic ,can you believe that? I thought they were considered rodents LOL cost 100 bucks a piece to get them fixed

our plan is to not get anymore pets that way when the kids are gone we can travel without worrying about pet care

[boefixepa]

As as stated on the other pet thread. They are great, but they can costs, I think vet care has come a long way, but if you can't come up with the 200-300 for a bladder issue (had a cat with that once) and would choose to put the cat down instead (<$50) please wait until such a time that you can. Love and respect the animal enough to know that now is not the time for you to have a pet. There is nothing wrong with that. If you really want to be around animals, volunteer as a bet sitter, or at the local shelter now and again.

Animals can be expensive and yes I do think the culture on them is changing. Growing up we looked as animals as disposible. My parents would give them away or take them to pound whenever we moved, or they had had enough of them. We never got them vet care or shots.

Oh, and yes, some dogs can and do hunt. We had a mix breed when I was a kid that hunted and ate the birds in our back yard! We were always finding bird heads in the bushes where she lounged (and I guess ate)! My malamutes will also, sadly, chase and kill cats, mice, and lizards....at least that is what I have found so far...and when I catch them in the act (yes I stop them and rescue the animal...if possible)...yeah, the three of them work in a pack!!! One always has a thing for the sprinklers.

[Ima saver]

I have had at least one dog for almost all of my life. My dogs are just like my children. I would do anything I could for my beloved dog. All of my dogs have been pretty healthy and have all passed away because of old age. To me, my life is much happier because of my dog's love. Who can put a price on that??

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Pet owners live longer, healthier lives ima. Anyway if you aren't willing to spend a bit of money on a "pet" you probably should not own one. They are not disposable.

My BF just put down her cat of 8 years. It was hard. This was after a few months of kidney treatment. There is something about pets.

I dread putting our dogs down. I've grown up with dogs my whole life. They are definitely members of our family. My mom cried so hard when her beagle died. DH's mom the same. She in fact commented that dogs stay sometimes longer than your children (shi tsu lived 19 years).

[sweeps]

Many people make purchases based on the best-case scenario. Pet purchases are no different. I'm not saying people should always plan with the worst-case scenario in mind, but they should at least plan with the average-case scenario. Your pet will likely need some expensive medical care a time or two over its lifetime -- if you can't afford it, don't buy the pet.

[TheTexan]

I think that there is a time and place for everything. Right now, I would never imagine getting an animal. Not because I don't love them, because my priorities are not there and I would feel as though I would not be able to give it the attention they need.

Also, with the advancements in medical care for animals, costs are rising. I cannot believe how many people have health insurance for their pets. Unfortunately, with rising costs, many pets will not get the treatment they need.

[FrugalFish]

I've always had animals, but with vet care ever expanding and the costs expanding with it, I have often wondered if I would be happier not owning pets.

I am very lucky at the moment to have a conservative vet who doesn't blindly test for everything- it can mean a return visit if her hunch is wrong, but in the end I think we save a lot of money.

The veterinary business seems to have become a big money making business (like many other industries) rather than a service industry. I don't mind paying for services needed, but so many times I've met up with veterinarians who love to run lots and lots of tests and it makes them lots and lots of money- it isn't about the animal and what's best for them, it's about lining his pocket...

[simple987]

I have a cat who is about to turn 15. He is very healthy and active. We take him for an annual vet visit for shots, etc that runs $100 each year. A few times when he was young he would get scratched by a squirrel and then need to get his wound shaved and cleaned. But otherwise he is low maintenance, very affectionate, and a great family pet

[Ima saver]

I agree, I have never had very much expense with my little Holly. But I do agree you should not just get a pet and ignore it, and I think a lot of people do just that. I hate to see a dog tied out, outside. Holly has the run of the house and her own, heated (heat pad) bed.

[scfr]

Joan.of.the.Arch - I very much respect your decision for not having pets. You realize that they are a responsibility and an expense, and you clearly have your priorities straight.

The question of what you can / should do for a pet medically is one that all of us that have had pets long-term have grappled with. I have paid for relatively expensive life-saving procedures for pets who were young, in overall good health, and had a very high probability of making a full recovery. But I have also made the very difficult decision to NOT treat the same pets who were near the end of their life expectency and with slim chance of making a full recovery. In one particular case, I could have afforded to have many expensive tests (and treatment in the very remote likelihood the tests showed something treatable) done, but I didn't want to subject my dear old, frail friend to all of that. I thought she was probably ready to go, and I decided to let her spend the rest of her days at home rather than being shuttled back and forth to the vet's.

Frugal Fish is right that some (tho' definitely not all) vets seem to be in the business just for the money, and we pet owners have the right and responsibility to question charges and decide for ourselves what is really needed/wanted.

To get back to your original question ... While the basics definitely do cost $ and people should go in to getting a pet with their eyes wide open, part of what is driving the cost of pet ownership is that people are spending more and more on the non-basics. I realize we all have our right to splurge where we want, but I think the trend toward buying expensive purebreds, fancy clothes, designer accesories, trendy treats, etc. is downright ridiculous.
Pets deserve to have their dietary and medical needs met; they deserve affection, appropriate discipline, exercise (in the case of dogs), and grooming. They do NOT need Louis Vuitton carriers, Gucci rain coats, or Coach collars!!!

[scfr]

Another thought on pet ownership for people who have children.

Pets can be a great way to teach children responsibility (caring for another) and eventually they can help teach children about death.

Beta fish are a great and inexpensive way to accomplish this. If my memory is correct, the whole set up (bowl, fish, accessories) can be had for less than $20, and the life expectancy of a beta is 2-3 years, so the whole "circle of life" lesson will come before too long and with much less heartache than with a family dog.

[Sporkman]

The thing about pets is they have such a big impact on your daily routine & personal freedom, not to mention they can get very expensive, with health checks, food, toys and other equipment, pet-sitting, and other expenses.

There are many good reasons not to keep pets...

[Coleroo]

wow.. being a pet lover and owner of at least 2 pets at every point in my life..its a little weird for me to read reasons of why people don't own pets. I consider my pets family..my children... we even call ourselves "mom and dad" to our 2 dogs and refer to our (unborn) baby as their soon-to-be brother. i don't consider their upkeep (food, health related vet visits, etc) to be an extra expense - i catagorize it in the same mindset as i would a dentist visit for my husband or i. my poor gabby (a chow) developed masticis (sp?) in her mammory glad last march and the emergency vet operation cost us $500 cash... we had to tap into savings to do it but it was worth it for our "baby girl". Our dogs sleep in the bed with us and our parrot talks to us.. and our ferret runs around making us all laugh. they're our family as much as any human is. outside the cost of dog food, i dont consider our pets to be expensive at all - dogs dont need tons of toys and equiptment. they just need a good collar, leash, food, companionship, a loving home and a comfy bed. they're like kids - they're only as expensive as you let them be.

From a frugal standpoint however I can definately see how those who haven't had pets before would not want to take on unknown and (sometimes) unpredicable expenses of another living thing! living things come with surprises and loads of responsibility.