Considering Other Pets
Although cats and dogs are the most common type of pets for most families to choose, there are other pets that can be very rewarding as well. Having a pet in the family home can fill a gap in life that otherwise may be unfilled. Pets can provide individuals with acceptance and emotional satisfaction that may be lacking in other ways. They also provide a way for families to bond together, and they can teach valuable life lessons to children.
Other pets that you may choose to share in your family home could include small animals like a hamster or guinea pig, aquatic creatures like fish, reptiles like turtles or snakes, or even large animals like a horse, pony or pet goat. All types of pets can be special to someone who cares about them.
Families that have pets share a special bond between them and their pets. The family members always have a companion to share their everyday lives with. The pet needs care and the family is brought together to provide that care for the pet. And in return, the pet gives its trust and love back to the family.
Pets teach the children in the family valuable life lessons. Children learn about responsibility—it may be the child’s duty to feed the pet daily, or to keep the pet’s cage cleaned, or they may have to groom the pet. The child not only learns responsibility, they learn that keeping their pet’s environment clean is important to the health of the pet. They learn that everyone must work in life to keep our world going. They learn about the other creatures that inhabit this world, and they learn about reciprocal relationships—how their pet can return the love that they give to it.
Having pets as other creatures to care for seems to be in our human nature. We can love any type of creature, and our human nature seems to kick in to take care of any type of animal that exists in the world. Not all families can have cats and dogs (sometimes due to health reasons, or whatever) or even some may not want to. These families can enjoy other pets, even exotic pets that many families may not consider. Some families may be fascinated by reptiles and may enjoy caring for a snake. Other families may make a lizard or iguana into a family pet. Some families may even consider an ant farm as a fascinating type of pet to care for.
Having any type of pet in your home can be a very rewarding experience. We can love them and care for them, and in return our pets can provide us with a great amount of fulfillment.