In this article we are going to talk about the Advantages And Disadvantages Of Having A Pet. Our planet Earth has over 1.8 billion species of animals and plants and more yet to be discovered. As humans, beings with consciousness and conscience we have to show compassion for our fellow beings and it becomes our responsibility to protect them too. There has of course been many programs to save our wildlife and nature but I believe the best way to come to respect them is by actually spending time with them. This may not be possible with wild animals but having a domesticated pet can actually help us love and respect all animals.
Pets are basically a person’s friend, a companion. They are kept for keeping us company, and for entertainment at times. They can also be kept due to altruistic reasons. While cats and dogs are the most popular pets and make up for more than half of pet animals all over the world, a wide variety of animals of all classes are kept as pets. They are often kept on the basis of their intelligence and attractiveness while some are purely driven by compassion. They are also kept for security purposes especially canines. A wide variety of animal species are kept as pets, including rodents, reptiles, arthropods and birds.
5 Advantages Of Having A Pet
Here are the advantages of having a pet discussed below:
1. Pets become a good companion
The main advantage of having a pet is having an all-time companion. While we may have a lot of friends from school or work it has been found that people always feel a sense of extreme loneliness at homes, especially among teenagers. Playing with animals, taking them for walks etc. can really boost one’s energy.
Even if they can’t talk, they can be great listeners. They can always ease your mood, help you de-stress and lessen your worries.
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2. Growing Up With Them
Taking care of animals is a huge responsibility and by taking up this responsibility we are helping ourselves to grow, mentally. They induce in one a growing respect for them as well as ourselves. Letting kids have their own pet is the best way to help them build themselves and develop in them a sense of respect for all kinds of beings.
They help nurture us to become better human beings. They also help us to have a more disciplined life.
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3. Trained Animals
Animals can be trained to serve specific purposes. This is especially true in case of dogs. In many homes dogs are kept for security purposes. Also there are police dogs trained to assist police and other law enforcement officers. Most common species of police dogs are German Shepherd, Doberman, Bloodhounds, Retriever breeds etc.
There are also therapy animals which are mostly cats and dogs. They are believed to improve mental and physical health.
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4. Facilitate Social Interaction
Pets can help facilitate social interaction. They are seen to improve the social life of their owners and improve their lifestyle. People have shown to improve their daily routines and have more social interaction to keep their pets happy.
For examples dogs are seen to nag their owners to go for a walk or to play fetch with them. Because of this people get to have some fresh air and a good exercise.
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5. Healthier Life
Pets can improve our mental as well as physical health. They help us distress and can induce positive thinking. Studies have shown that pets reduce heart disease risks in elderly. There are also studies that pets have therapeutic effect in dementia cases.
Taking a stroll with your pet can always improve one’s mood and make the day better. Dogs assist people, elderly and the specially-abled by being their guide.
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5 Disadvantages Of Having A Pet
Here are the disadvantages of having a pet discussed below:
1. Too Much To Do
As discussed in the advantages taking care of a pet is a huge responsibility. They should be taken care of and well nourished. Proper hygiene should be maintained. All these requires constant attention and some may find it a little difficult. While this has been cited as an advantage above, for working people this could be tiresome and even stressful.
Also some pets are highly active or disobedient and can cause a lot of trouble. While some people find this type of behavior amusing others may find it stressful.
The expense of getting a pet and meeting all of its requirements can be a little too much. The pet needs a shelter, he needs to be fed regularly and should be washed and cleaned regularly. Not all people appreciate the cost and work that comes with all this.
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2. Who Takes Care Of The Pet
In a family people can takes turns for watching over their pet but this can often lead to disputes. Also there is an issue of who takes care of the pet while the caretakers are away from home. While some families prefer to take their pets along with them this is not a good option when it comes to long distance journeys.
Pets are mostly only obedient to their owners or caregivers and their close relatives and may misbehave with others. That is why it is not always a good idea to take them with you if you are visiting houses. Therefore long vacations are not possible with pets.
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3. Health Risks
One of the main health risk is allergies. People can have allergic reactions to fur or feathers of their pets. The other major health comes with not maintaining proper hygiene of your pets. Some animals can have parasites living on them or inside them and can possibly infect you too.
Some pets especially rodents could act as carriers of diseases if not well taken care of. Certain pets can also be poisonous and pose a great threat if not handled with care.
There has also been several cases of tripping over pets and falling, which has resulted in serious injurious like broken bones. This has been common with elderly people.
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4. Sick Pets
Keeping pets, taking care of them itself is highly exhausting. Therefore a sick pet could be very hard to deal with. Pets get sick mainly due lack of proper diet or proper hygiene. Treating your sick pet is an additional expense that a lot of people can’t afford.
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5. The Eventual Heart Break
Pets very easily become a part of our lives, a part of our family. You start loving them just like any other family member. Hence it is very hard to overcome the sorrow of their loss most of the time. This is especially hard when it comes to kids. Kids love with all their heart and losing their pet can really depress them. Given that the life expectancy of most animals is much less than our own, one will have to deal with this eventually.
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Although the disadvantages may seem more it is always nice to have a pet. One advantage is worth more than all the disadvantages and that is the fact that your pet will always be there for you. By providing them food and shelter and giving them a little time we have their unconditional love and loyalty. These creatures help us appreciate our mother nature more and also improves our quality of life.
