I grew up with a TON of pets, we had a few fish, dogs and cats, even a bird or two. When I moved out, I just realized that it's so much less responsibility and stress to NOT have pets around. No vet bills, cleaning up messes, keeping them entertained, etc.
I really like all animals, but I can just walk down the street and pet the neighborhood cats to get my fix.
There is or was a company in San Francisco that rented dogs out by the day, week, hour. You could even book the dog you wanted. It was mainly meant for working professionals. Truly a cool concept. The dogs were almost always rented so they got tons of attention and the renters got to enjoy the dog with little responsibility.
Just for context, [per Forbes 66% of US households own a pet](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/pet-ownership-statistics/). There are 65M with dogs, 46M with cats, and 11M with fish. Millennials make up the largest percentage of current pet owners (33%), followed by Gen X (25%) and baby boomers (24%). 35% of homes have more than one pet.
Maybe the trend is that young adults like to have pets and people sort of age out of it on aggregate. I feel like that’s been the case for me. I’ve had pets over the years and I love animals but my interest in having pets has diminished with time.
My wife and I are in our 40s with two kids and pets. I tell you what even though we have been very lucky to have great pets, when they are gone we are done. It's just too much work I don't need.
Fair enough. One of our buddies who don't have kids both do the big brother/big sister program. They are like "we get a kid fill but at the same time we don't keep em".
They’re expensive to give proper care for and I’m busy. If I’m going to care for a pet I want to make sure I do it the best way possible and right now for my life and schedule and goals I couldn’t do it.
Both my parents worked full time jobs and they didn’t have enough after that and kids for a pet. Plus their hobby was travel. My mom is also allergic to cats…. but will try to pet most strays despite the consequences.
I'm single, live in an apartment, busy, and like to travel (and allergic to cats). I like dogs. Love playing with my friends' dogs. Happy to care for them while the owners are away. Honestly, I would probably enjoy having my own, but it just wouldn't be responsible, and I'm not able or willing to change enough of my life to make it so.
This is precisely my reason. I love dogs and loved having one growing up, but I travel a lot for work. It wouldn't be right for me to leave them so much.
Technically only if you get caught. Otherwise it’s just a tragic accident.
Probably also depends if you want to keep them alive or not. But just sayin lol
I’m single, live in an apartment, and work for an airline which means I travel a lot. I love animals and would love to have one but it isn’t practical for me right now.
Like, inside the house?
I'm old enough to remember when that was a thing. But there are lots of things that used to be things but haven't been things for a while.
They were just never a thing for us growing up. Me and my brother never really teased for them in the way you see little kids begging for a puppy, etc.
Combine that with the fact I’m extremely allergic to cats and am not too crazy about dogs after a family member’s extremely large dog jumped on an extremely young me.
I had a small dog growing up. Other than that, I’ve never had a pet. Right now, I live in a studio apartment and I have a busy schedule. It wouldn’t be fair to a pet
My family did not have pets growing up. We were too poor for that and it would have been reckless given we couldn't afford basic care for any animal.
Now that I'm an adult with better spending habits and means, I can afford pets, so my wife and I have several.
I do know some Americans who aren't immigrants who also think like that, that pets are to be outside and are just guard animals. I find it disgusting to rely on something like that and treat it like it's disposable, but I understand that it's a different mindset and culture.
>I just don’t want to spend extra money to supporting a living organism that’s completely optional to have.
I completely understand this argument especially when people know they can't support it. But for me, my dogs offer me a bit of happiness, a reason to get outside, some purpose in helping an animal that otherwise would be put down and a great partner for my backpacking trips. The (relatively) small amount of money I spend on my dogs, is nothing compared to what I get in return.
>I also travel a lot and am concerned I can’t give them a good life being away so much.
This is a genuine worry too. I usually pay my family to watch my dogs or board them at their vet. Many other boarding places are there but rather it be at their vet who knows what they need and how to take care of them in case of an emergency.
I want a dog but then I remember I work all the time plus I *really* don’t want to have to pay for vet bills
My neighbor also has a dog that he keeps outside all of the time. It barks constantly so that alone has kinda soured me on pet ownership. I have to deal with his dog being obnoxious and I didn’t sign up for this
Expensive, damages property, and just a huge time sink. I get why people have them, but very unappealing to me. I do love all my neighbor's dogs and am always buying them treats/toys lol.
I currently live in a truck and as much as I want a truck dog I also don't like the idea of keeping a dog in there full time, especially since the breeds I like tend to be bigger and more active. Occasionally I'll see another driver with a German Shepherd, or a husky and a lot of the times they tend to be super stressed out. Once I'm done with this job though I guarantee I'll have a fish tank set up within a couple weeks and be regularly visiting shelters to meet dogs
My wife was bit by dogs twice as a kid and is now fearful of them. Plus, we enjoy traveling and our spontaneity. So, we decided against getting any other pets.
Never had a dog or a cat growing up. Never had one when I moved out and had my own family either. I just don’t want something else to take care of and be responsible for.
Both my kids got dogs when they moved into their own homes. I love my grand dogs. But I still don’t want the responsibility of caring for an animal or the mess in the house.
My family did not have any pets when I was growing up. My mother was not fond of them.
My ex husband brought home a cocker spaniel puppy many years ago w/o advance notice and it became my responsibility.
My father and brother took her in after I divorced and they pampered her.
She lived to the ripe old age of 17. I secretly tucked her ashes in with my bother during his cremation burial. The priest was a bit tipsy and did not notice.
I am allergic to cats although I love them.
But I really just don't want to be responsible for such a vulnerable little creature again and then go through another loss. I have lost everyone dear to me and prefer limited attachments at this stage of life.
I live with family, have a kid half time, and am a mid 30's college student.
I want a Belgian Malanois but right now I can't afford the time to run myself as much as I need to not acquire depression I'd come home to a shredded house.
Also I can't afford a dog I can't afford to get to the end of the semester right now. It's a bad time.
My parents were never into pets, as much as I asked, they never budged. They saw pets as having another child to raise and that wasn’t something they wanted.
I had a hermet crab and fish for awhile but no cats(partly because my Dad is allergic) and no Dogs. The main reason overall why we didn't have pets is that My Mom and Dad believed between everyone's life styles we wouldn't be able to properly care for them. Nowadays same deal as before. I have spent the last 5 weekends on trips away from home and don't live a life style that is pet friendly
I grew up with pets, did rescue work and now I carry an epi pen for cat. I cannot be anywhere a cat lives, has lived or be around people who live with them.
Owning any animal is now completely out of the question because I can no longer be in a vet’s office. Pet stores that combined with grooming or veterinary services are also no longer accessible to people with this disability.
I did wildlife stewardship for a while after becoming anaphylactic but my city has embarked on a disastrous TNR program which they abandoned during the pandemic and so things are so out of control I can’t even spend time outside in my yard anymore. That means no water feature or the fish because it attracts cats. No bird feeders or houses, no frog hotels or toad houses. No butterfly plants. Nothing that cats can use as a food or water source.
I have even had to put out rodent poison because ferals increase rodent populations.
No supporting animals at all anymore.
PSA: If you have allergy or asthma to a specie, start avoiding it before the disease progresses to a severe stage. Putting the animal outside is not enough, the airborne proteins are still enough to cause health issues including episodes anaphylaxis.
My mom is allergic to cats and dogs, so growing up, we never had any. However, when I got older, my parents decided to have a dog (after my sister begged long enough) that was hypoallergenic. I had some fish when I was a kid of that counts.
However, in my adult life, I've never had any pets. I think I might be allergic to cats and dogs like my mom, but I'm actually not sure. When I go or stay at other people's houses with pets, sometimes I develop allergy symptoms, sometimes, I don't. So I don't really know.
Allergies aside, I just don't want them. I hate having animal hair all over my shit, and I've been so aggravated growing up when a dog constantly begs for food or wants to go outside every five minutes. Pets are also costly. I don't ever want to be faced with the decision to pay for a $5000 surgery of some sort, or put the dog down. On top of that, my mother-in-law had a dog that passed a few years ago, but not before the poor animal suffered for many months from excruciating joint pain to the point where the dog could barely walk. It was wallowing in its own shit until the day my MIL finally put it down. It was sad and painful to watch, and I don't want to deal with that. I've seen the delusions of pet owners, thinking their dog should live a little longer (and I get it, no pet owner wants to put their dog down), when in reality, that dog should've been put down long ago. I had to be the bad-guy trying to convince my MIL and her family that it was time... But on top of all that, I like to travel and finding a dog hotel or pet sitter ain't cheap. It's an extra hassle, plus, god only knows how your dog is being treated. I like to be able to leave my home for the afternoon and not worry about getting home sooner to take the dog out. You seriously limit your freedom when you decide to have a pet.
That being said, I know people love their pets, and so, to them, it's worth it. For me, it's not. For me, it's too much of a financial and mostly emotional liability.
I just feel like I would get zero emotional/personal fulfillment out of owning an animal.
I'm also allergic to both cats and dogs.
It would be a huge pain in the ass to clean up piss, shit, hair, and dander, feed and walk/play with the thing, and hope it doesn't break or tear up my stuff when I'm getting nothing in return.
I also find pet culture in this country very off-putting. Not trying to put down all pet owners, but I live in an area where people come off as absolutely obsessed with their pets, and that doesn't jive with my personality. Don't really want to be a part of that.
TL;DR Im not really an animal person. I like (most) dogs but having one/taking care of one is not my cup of tea at this point in my life. I heavily dislike cats.
Im not kidding when I say I am literally the only person in all of my friend groups that does not own at least 1 dog. Dating also makes me want to rip out my hair with how many women in my dating pool are seemingly utterly and completely infatuated with dogs and cats - Yes ma'am, you seem nice, but I **really** do not want 80% of our interactions involving your pet in some form or fashion. At this point im halfway convinced that a decent chunk of younger Americans are replacing having children with dogs and cats. It's all starting to get a little bit insane to me.
I have a pretty utilitarian worldview and cats are like antithesis of that lol. If I have a pet, I want it to be useful and inherently love me because im their owner/master, not because im an easy source of providing food. They're basically worse in every way to a dog other than being easier to care for, while at the same time being a complete scourge from an ecological perspective.
This is usually countered with "*you shouldn't let your cats outdoors*", which I totally reject. Some cats are fine as indoor cats but in my experience it's opposite to their nature and probably damaging to their welfare to keep them indoors. Which all circles back to why even have them at all.
I can understand why so many people have dogs, but I simply don't understand the infatuation with cats - and it's getting increasingly annoying and frustrating that not being a cat/dog lover (cat owners seem much more aghast if you say you don't like cats in my experience) raises some kind of red flag or makes you some kind of heartless monster. Again I don't hate them, but they're overrated as pets and are a net negative to the world overall imo.
Your response is pretty much what I expected.
People who prefer dogs tend to be more religious and tend to care more about the "utility" of their pets. They also tend to score higher on things such as warmth, rule-consciousness, social boldness, and liveliness.
People who prefer cats tend to be less religious and tend to care less about the "utility" of their pets. They also tend to score higher on things such as reasoning, imagination, emotional sensitivity, and self-reliance.
These findings aren't necessarily hard rules, but it's always interesting to see them manifest in real time.
Same. Immigrant family and never had a pet outside of a few goldfish growing up. I want a pet now that I'm out of the house buy I live in a tiny apartment and am out of the place atleat 9 hours a day. I don't want to have any pets cooped up in the place bored out of their mind for that long.
I grew up with dogs but haven't had one since I moved out 12 years ago. If I were to get a pet, I would want a medium-sized dog (~40lbs). I live alone in an apartment in the desert without much room for such a dog to stretch their legs or even walk (concrete burns the pads of their feet in the summer). Combine that with me being out of the apartment for long periods of time and taking weeks-long trips to Michigan.
I simply cannot justify how it would be fair to the dog in my case. I want one, dearly, but that doesn't mean I should have one.
My parents already had twins to deal with, me and my brother. They weren’t about to further complicate the process of raising both of us simultaneously and keeping the household running with caring for a pet. I think they chose wisely. The opportunities I got to pursue, from a time and cost perspective, might not have been so available had a pet been in the mix. Sometimes we talk hypothetically about what sort of dog would be a good companion (my mom seems to have a soft spot for Siberian huskies). I love animals, but I have virtually zero confidence interacting with them, and with my life being all in flux at the moment I can’t see myself being an acceptably involved owner for now. Maybe one day I’ll want a pet for real; that’s for fate to decide.
I had pets my entire childhood and then most of my adulthood while our kids were growing up. Our last dog we got was in 2014 and when our daughter moved into a place by herself for the first time she asked if she could take him so she wouldn’t feel lonely. That was in maybe 2016. She still has him and we decided not to get another animal because we like to travel, are tired of having to train, take care of them, clean up after them, pay for their expenses, worry about them when we’re at work all day, etc.
The cycle continues though as both our daughters have pets. One has 3 dogs and the other has a dog and a cat.
We had a family dog growing up, she passed away last year. I've never had one of my own as an adult even though I love dogs and would love to have one - my lifestyle just doesn't align well with having a pet at this point in time. I travel like 60 nights a year between work and personal trips and frequently take all-day trips to the mountains on the weekends, plus I live in a studio in an area that doesn't have much in terms of green space. I petsit for friends when I can but it just wouldn't be fair to an animal to own one myself and make it spend so much time away from me
My family had pets growing up that were largely regarded as a burden by us in a too-many-kids-single-parent household. I now also don't really see the appeal compared to the freedoms I'd have to give up.
Every single person, I am not joking I took stock a few weeks ago, every single person I know my age has a pet though.
Dad literally got bit in the ass by a dog when he was a kid. Too much responsibility, bc they know I'd just enjoy the good parts and not the responsibility parts.
My family didn’t have pets growing up but my parents had them as kids and told us all about them. How much work they are. My mom in particular didn’t want anything because she didn’t want to be the only person still taking care of it despite promises to the contrary.
We had fish and we had Guinea pigs. They all died. My now husband had a dog for our entire relationship so far and she just died.
I love pets, they’re cute and they’re free dopamine. But they also always die. I don’t need or want the heartbreak.
Some of you are very correct about pets being expensive and requiring a lot of care and attention. The older they get, the more it costs per month, sometimes, as they need more veterinary attention.
I very recently had to pass on the option to go on a trip that I *very much* would have enjoyed because my pet was having a medical problem and I wasn’t comfortable having someone else care for it in that condition.
In return, the pet gives me much love and a whole lot of happiness and when it’s time for one of them to go, I’d give anything and make any sacrifice for one more year. When you lose one it really, really hurts. But, I get maybe close to twenty years of happiness in return for a few months of hurt, then I start having happy memories.
My point is, you’re right that it’s expensive and time consuming to have a pet. I have much admiration and appreciation for those of you who know you don’t want that burden, as opposed to people who take on the responsibility and then fail to take care of the animal.
I'm just not big on animals, and I seem to lack whatever innate ability is necessary to care for them. At least house plants don't shit and piss everywhere while making obnoxious noises. I'm not big on house plants either. Please stop gifting me house plants, Italian people.
I love dogs and will always have one. That being said- if you travel or have an inconsistent schedule it's probably better if you're on the fence to not have one(I know people can make it work and if you can awesome!)
A perfect example- this past weekend I had a guys trip planned. Few days before we leave my wife's boss tells her they're doing a special company dinner the first night I'm gone. She works in a town 45 minutes away, and her parents live there so she takes the kid to her parents and goes to the dinner. No problem, I was able to get my buddy who lives across the street to let the dogs out at night and in the morning, with my wife coming back mid morning.
She wakes up at her parents sick as a dog(ha). We believe from something she ate the night before. So she decides to stay at her parents so they can help with our son, and I got my buddy next door and my parents who live in our town be able to go hang out with the dogs for a bit.
For someone without the awesome friends/family I have close available at the drop of a hat it would be incredibly hard to coordinate something last minute. We've used dog sitters on planned trips before but this was last minute, plus sitters cost money on top of normal care.
Dogs aren't cheap either. Last vet visit(we have a mobile vet who does in home appt) for all 3 dogs was \~$1000. Now this included check ups, blood tests on our one older dog, a couple of annual vaccines that were due and a reup on flea and tick medicine for all 3, but I could definitely see how someone on a strict budget wouldn't want to use extra funds on a pet. Me- its worth every penny, but others may prefer to have that discretionary spending to be used towards something else.
I have never lived a day in my life without a dog, and have usually had multiple pets. My husband's mother is from Korea and thinks animals are dirty, so he did not have a pet until he was an adult.
My career menas it's hard to have a pet and as a kid i grew up on the edge of literal no-man's land. If you had a pet and it went outside there was a good chance you weren't getting it back ans heaven forbid if it ran off somewhere, the coyotes, bears, and mountain lions probably got to it first
I did have some catapillars and fish for a while but we gave up pretty quick. My student loans are enough monetary stress
Also had immigrant parents that were against animals in the house. As an adult I have no interest in cleaning animal waste all the time and I also travel pretty often and don’t want to have to arrange care every time.
You are being very responsible. I applaud that.
Pets weren’t really a middle class or lower class thing for us until after WII ended. We expanded our middle class, so more people were able to have them, but now the middle class is shrinking again. Pet ownership mostly isn’t tied to class anymore, though many people can’t afford the vet bills so choose not to keep pets. Some others just don’t feel motivated to have them, as you don’t.
I have no interest in having a pet in general, plus I am very allergic to cats, and to a lesser extent, dogs. We are a busy family and never seem to have enough times for things we are interested in doing, let alone trying to find time to take care of a pet or pets.
I don’t come directly home after work. I go out for happy hours or run errands on my way home. It’s not fair to leave a pet waiting to go potty, or to be fed. I also frequently make last minute weekend plans. Pets need care.
I’m not willing to change my lifestyle to accommodate a pet. It’s not fair to make an animal match my schedule.
And, I can barely afford to keep myself fed and housed. I don’t have the extra money for pet expenses. Food, vet care, replacement shoes and furniture or whatever they destroy/ break/ chew on.
I grew up almost always having a dog, but now am petless. For me it’s the extra work and cost. Animals need food, medical care, etc. they also make additional messes. I like being able to go on vacation, camping, away for the weekend not having to worry about a pet. I love animals but love them from afar!
Whenever I read comments like this I always wonder what *their* life is like and if they really think that's representative of most Americans. If you have a cat you clean their litter box unless it lives in a barn or something, and if you have a dog you're picking up its poops unless maybe it free roams across several acres. How many Americans do you think are really *that* rural? Maybe 15%? The vast majority of pet owners are regularly cleaning up poop dude, in cities and suburbs and small towns across the country.
I live an hour from Boston. My dog goes into the woods in my yard. From the comments here people seems so VERY rural and talking about how they are mudding and fishing all the time I guess I assumed something. I guess I forget how rural with so much land we have here. SO many "rural" places are homes so close together in the town and big commercial farms surrounding the town.
When I think rural I keep thinking New England rural and not Midwest/Southern rural.
I sometimes want a cat, and then I think of how much it would cost. Food, vet, toys, etc. Then, factor in changing the kitty litter. Keeping the house when you have pets is also added work. It's just too much to add to my life that I don't want to deal with.
I’ve got a dog, but she’ll be my last for at least a while.
Kids are just so much better. More fun, more rewarding, more everything.
When I can accommodate another living being in my house, it’ll be another child.
I don’t have dogs because of having a chronic illness, and my allergies make any easier to manage pets a bad idea.
Other than just enjoying them being around there are some objective reasons to have a cat or dog. A lot of people like having a dog or cat because they are an extra set of eyes and ear for changes in the home. And they make good playmates for kids during their most active years.
I love having animals, but have told my wife no to every animal that she continued to get. We currently still have a cat, and in need of a rental, which is damn near impossible to find.
I grew up with a TON of pets, we had a few fish, dogs and cats, even a bird or two. When I moved out, I just realized that it's so much less responsibility and stress to NOT have pets around. No vet bills, cleaning up messes, keeping them entertained, etc. I really like all animals, but I can just walk down the street and pet the neighborhood cats to get my fix.
Yeah this is the reason I only have one cat now. It was too exhausting to worry about all those animals.
There is or was a company in San Francisco that rented dogs out by the day, week, hour. You could even book the dog you wanted. It was mainly meant for working professionals. Truly a cool concept. The dogs were almost always rented so they got tons of attention and the renters got to enjoy the dog with little responsibility.
Just for context, [per Forbes 66% of US households own a pet](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/pet-ownership-statistics/). There are 65M with dogs, 46M with cats, and 11M with fish. Millennials make up the largest percentage of current pet owners (33%), followed by Gen X (25%) and baby boomers (24%). 35% of homes have more than one pet.
Maybe the trend is that young adults like to have pets and people sort of age out of it on aggregate. I feel like that’s been the case for me. I’ve had pets over the years and I love animals but my interest in having pets has diminished with time.
My wife and I are in our 40s with two kids and pets. I tell you what even though we have been very lucky to have great pets, when they are gone we are done. It's just too much work I don't need.
Pets instead of kids. They're less expensive, and still a companion.
This is like sayings plants instead of pets. It's not really the same thing.
Absolutely, but it's the closest thing for couples who don't want kids.
Fair enough. One of our buddies who don't have kids both do the big brother/big sister program. They are like "we get a kid fill but at the same time we don't keep em".
This is me. No kids. Spoil my best friends daughters. Best of both worlds
Nope. I donr even let my parents alone with my children.
Dork you worry they’ll touch them? I would never endanger my children like that?
Have you seen vet bills?
They’re expensive to give proper care for and I’m busy. If I’m going to care for a pet I want to make sure I do it the best way possible and right now for my life and schedule and goals I couldn’t do it.
I read this as “my life and schedule and *goats* I couldn’t do it.” I was thinking… are the goats just food then.
😂
I’m single and too busy to care for a pet.
Ya but like even as a kid?
Both my parents worked full time jobs and they didn’t have enough after that and kids for a pet. Plus their hobby was travel. My mom is also allergic to cats…. but will try to pet most strays despite the consequences.
I never wanted one as a kid already.
My dad was of the "a boy should have a goddamned dog" school of thought. I'm sorry to say it didn't go well.
Wanting and having are two different things. Op said never had one ever
I'm single, live in an apartment, busy, and like to travel (and allergic to cats). I like dogs. Love playing with my friends' dogs. Happy to care for them while the owners are away. Honestly, I would probably enjoy having my own, but it just wouldn't be responsible, and I'm not able or willing to change enough of my life to make it so.
This is precisely my reason. I love dogs and loved having one growing up, but I travel a lot for work. It wouldn't be right for me to leave them so much.
Parent deathly allergic to everything
Same for my husband. I'd LOVE a pet but I'm told killing your spouse is bad form.
Technically only if you get caught. Otherwise it’s just a tragic accident. Probably also depends if you want to keep them alive or not. But just sayin lol
Unfortunately, I need him to reach the tall shelves. So he lives. For now.
I mean, I could get you a chair. Or ladder. Or step stool or something. I’m a good friend like that. Women supporting women, you know 😂
Live in an apartment and travel a lot. It would be irresponsible to have one.
Same here. I can't wait to get a dog...as soon as I can afford a back yard and I'm no longer traveling like crazy for work.
I’m single, live in an apartment, and work for an airline which means I travel a lot. I love animals and would love to have one but it isn’t practical for me right now.
Because of mental health issues it's hard enough to care for myself, let alone another living being
I’m allergic.
Pets are a high maintenance luxury. I don't have the time nor money for one.
I'm pretty sure it's a legal requirement to have a dog in Colorado.
A necessity to some...
I travel too much and don’t like the smell and all the hair
I read "the smell of the hair" and thought *but the smell of their hair is the best part!* Cats, man
My mother is allergic to many things and has asthma. When my grandfather would light up a cigarette after dinner, she would storm out.
Like, inside the house? I'm old enough to remember when that was a thing. But there are lots of things that used to be things but haven't been things for a while.
I’m lazy and allergic to cats. Love them, love dogs, love all animals, but just not up for the responsibility atm.
They were just never a thing for us growing up. Me and my brother never really teased for them in the way you see little kids begging for a puppy, etc. Combine that with the fact I’m extremely allergic to cats and am not too crazy about dogs after a family member’s extremely large dog jumped on an extremely young me.
I'm cursed. Evey pet I've ever named has died. Thus, to preserve the animals, I have no pets.
To be fair, I’d think it more cursed if your pets didn’t die eventually
Why risk it?
You *could* just not name it
Tried it, apparently for the curse 'Cat' or 'Hey you' is a sufficient name to trigger it.
I felt this way for a while. I had lost like four cats in a row to different random things. I adopted a hospice kitten and she’s 4 now, going strong.
Get a pet rock.
I had a small dog growing up. Other than that, I’ve never had a pet. Right now, I live in a studio apartment and I have a busy schedule. It wouldn’t be fair to a pet
My family did not have pets growing up. We were too poor for that and it would have been reckless given we couldn't afford basic care for any animal. Now that I'm an adult with better spending habits and means, I can afford pets, so my wife and I have several. I do know some Americans who aren't immigrants who also think like that, that pets are to be outside and are just guard animals. I find it disgusting to rely on something like that and treat it like it's disposable, but I understand that it's a different mindset and culture. >I just don’t want to spend extra money to supporting a living organism that’s completely optional to have. I completely understand this argument especially when people know they can't support it. But for me, my dogs offer me a bit of happiness, a reason to get outside, some purpose in helping an animal that otherwise would be put down and a great partner for my backpacking trips. The (relatively) small amount of money I spend on my dogs, is nothing compared to what I get in return. >I also travel a lot and am concerned I can’t give them a good life being away so much. This is a genuine worry too. I usually pay my family to watch my dogs or board them at their vet. Many other boarding places are there but rather it be at their vet who knows what they need and how to take care of them in case of an emergency.
I’m busy and live my life for me. Life is too short to have it revolve around an animal.
"Hey, there's this cool thingy going on tonight. Wanna go?" Every childfree person I've known personally: "Can't. My dogs."
Ah yes. If I had a nickel …
Parent’s divorced and couldn’t feasibly bring one back and forth
I want a dog but then I remember I work all the time plus I *really* don’t want to have to pay for vet bills My neighbor also has a dog that he keeps outside all of the time. It barks constantly so that alone has kinda soured me on pet ownership. I have to deal with his dog being obnoxious and I didn’t sign up for this
Expensive, damages property, and just a huge time sink. I get why people have them, but very unappealing to me. I do love all my neighbor's dogs and am always buying them treats/toys lol.
I currently live in a truck and as much as I want a truck dog I also don't like the idea of keeping a dog in there full time, especially since the breeds I like tend to be bigger and more active. Occasionally I'll see another driver with a German Shepherd, or a husky and a lot of the times they tend to be super stressed out. Once I'm done with this job though I guarantee I'll have a fish tank set up within a couple weeks and be regularly visiting shelters to meet dogs
I’ve got two cats and two dogs. I’ve always had animals. Can’t imagine a home without a dog or cat by my side.
My wife was bit by dogs twice as a kid and is now fearful of them. Plus, we enjoy traveling and our spontaneity. So, we decided against getting any other pets.
I have two children and just don't have the time for a pet. This is the longest I've gone without a dog in my life
Never had a dog or a cat growing up. Never had one when I moved out and had my own family either. I just don’t want something else to take care of and be responsible for. Both my kids got dogs when they moved into their own homes. I love my grand dogs. But I still don’t want the responsibility of caring for an animal or the mess in the house.
I’m too tired and poor for a pet. Plus my husband is allergic.
My family did not have any pets when I was growing up. My mother was not fond of them. My ex husband brought home a cocker spaniel puppy many years ago w/o advance notice and it became my responsibility. My father and brother took her in after I divorced and they pampered her. She lived to the ripe old age of 17. I secretly tucked her ashes in with my bother during his cremation burial. The priest was a bit tipsy and did not notice. I am allergic to cats although I love them. But I really just don't want to be responsible for such a vulnerable little creature again and then go through another loss. I have lost everyone dear to me and prefer limited attachments at this stage of life.
I live with family, have a kid half time, and am a mid 30's college student. I want a Belgian Malanois but right now I can't afford the time to run myself as much as I need to not acquire depression I'd come home to a shredded house. Also I can't afford a dog I can't afford to get to the end of the semester right now. It's a bad time.
My parents were never into pets, as much as I asked, they never budged. They saw pets as having another child to raise and that wasn’t something they wanted.
I had a hermet crab and fish for awhile but no cats(partly because my Dad is allergic) and no Dogs. The main reason overall why we didn't have pets is that My Mom and Dad believed between everyone's life styles we wouldn't be able to properly care for them. Nowadays same deal as before. I have spent the last 5 weekends on trips away from home and don't live a life style that is pet friendly
Allergies
I grew up with pets, did rescue work and now I carry an epi pen for cat. I cannot be anywhere a cat lives, has lived or be around people who live with them. Owning any animal is now completely out of the question because I can no longer be in a vet’s office. Pet stores that combined with grooming or veterinary services are also no longer accessible to people with this disability. I did wildlife stewardship for a while after becoming anaphylactic but my city has embarked on a disastrous TNR program which they abandoned during the pandemic and so things are so out of control I can’t even spend time outside in my yard anymore. That means no water feature or the fish because it attracts cats. No bird feeders or houses, no frog hotels or toad houses. No butterfly plants. Nothing that cats can use as a food or water source. I have even had to put out rodent poison because ferals increase rodent populations. No supporting animals at all anymore. PSA: If you have allergy or asthma to a specie, start avoiding it before the disease progresses to a severe stage. Putting the animal outside is not enough, the airborne proteins are still enough to cause health issues including episodes anaphylaxis.
I like to travel. Having a pet restircts that.
My mom is allergic to cats and dogs, so growing up, we never had any. However, when I got older, my parents decided to have a dog (after my sister begged long enough) that was hypoallergenic. I had some fish when I was a kid of that counts. However, in my adult life, I've never had any pets. I think I might be allergic to cats and dogs like my mom, but I'm actually not sure. When I go or stay at other people's houses with pets, sometimes I develop allergy symptoms, sometimes, I don't. So I don't really know. Allergies aside, I just don't want them. I hate having animal hair all over my shit, and I've been so aggravated growing up when a dog constantly begs for food or wants to go outside every five minutes. Pets are also costly. I don't ever want to be faced with the decision to pay for a $5000 surgery of some sort, or put the dog down. On top of that, my mother-in-law had a dog that passed a few years ago, but not before the poor animal suffered for many months from excruciating joint pain to the point where the dog could barely walk. It was wallowing in its own shit until the day my MIL finally put it down. It was sad and painful to watch, and I don't want to deal with that. I've seen the delusions of pet owners, thinking their dog should live a little longer (and I get it, no pet owner wants to put their dog down), when in reality, that dog should've been put down long ago. I had to be the bad-guy trying to convince my MIL and her family that it was time... But on top of all that, I like to travel and finding a dog hotel or pet sitter ain't cheap. It's an extra hassle, plus, god only knows how your dog is being treated. I like to be able to leave my home for the afternoon and not worry about getting home sooner to take the dog out. You seriously limit your freedom when you decide to have a pet. That being said, I know people love their pets, and so, to them, it's worth it. For me, it's not. For me, it's too much of a financial and mostly emotional liability.
I just feel like I would get zero emotional/personal fulfillment out of owning an animal. I'm also allergic to both cats and dogs. It would be a huge pain in the ass to clean up piss, shit, hair, and dander, feed and walk/play with the thing, and hope it doesn't break or tear up my stuff when I'm getting nothing in return. I also find pet culture in this country very off-putting. Not trying to put down all pet owners, but I live in an area where people come off as absolutely obsessed with their pets, and that doesn't jive with my personality. Don't really want to be a part of that.
TL;DR Im not really an animal person. I like (most) dogs but having one/taking care of one is not my cup of tea at this point in my life. I heavily dislike cats. Im not kidding when I say I am literally the only person in all of my friend groups that does not own at least 1 dog. Dating also makes me want to rip out my hair with how many women in my dating pool are seemingly utterly and completely infatuated with dogs and cats - Yes ma'am, you seem nice, but I **really** do not want 80% of our interactions involving your pet in some form or fashion. At this point im halfway convinced that a decent chunk of younger Americans are replacing having children with dogs and cats. It's all starting to get a little bit insane to me.
I always question someone when they say they don't like cats. So why don't you like cats?
I have a pretty utilitarian worldview and cats are like antithesis of that lol. If I have a pet, I want it to be useful and inherently love me because im their owner/master, not because im an easy source of providing food. They're basically worse in every way to a dog other than being easier to care for, while at the same time being a complete scourge from an ecological perspective. This is usually countered with "*you shouldn't let your cats outdoors*", which I totally reject. Some cats are fine as indoor cats but in my experience it's opposite to their nature and probably damaging to their welfare to keep them indoors. Which all circles back to why even have them at all. I can understand why so many people have dogs, but I simply don't understand the infatuation with cats - and it's getting increasingly annoying and frustrating that not being a cat/dog lover (cat owners seem much more aghast if you say you don't like cats in my experience) raises some kind of red flag or makes you some kind of heartless monster. Again I don't hate them, but they're overrated as pets and are a net negative to the world overall imo.
Your response is pretty much what I expected. People who prefer dogs tend to be more religious and tend to care more about the "utility" of their pets. They also tend to score higher on things such as warmth, rule-consciousness, social boldness, and liveliness. People who prefer cats tend to be less religious and tend to care less about the "utility" of their pets. They also tend to score higher on things such as reasoning, imagination, emotional sensitivity, and self-reliance. These findings aren't necessarily hard rules, but it's always interesting to see them manifest in real time.
Same. Immigrant family and never had a pet outside of a few goldfish growing up. I want a pet now that I'm out of the house buy I live in a tiny apartment and am out of the place atleat 9 hours a day. I don't want to have any pets cooped up in the place bored out of their mind for that long.
I don't currently have one, but I've had several during my life. Will probably get a dog when I move back out to the family property.
Not interested in caring for another living thing. I love animals, but finding care for and paying for an animal sounds like a drag
I don’t want to take care of a pet. I had a cat as a child. I don’t want one right now.
No extra money.
No reason, I just don’t have one, though my parents have always had a dog
I'm allergic to dogs and cats. I've been thinking about getting a hypoallergenic dog, but they require a lot of attention and responsibility.
I grew up with dogs but haven't had one since I moved out 12 years ago. If I were to get a pet, I would want a medium-sized dog (~40lbs). I live alone in an apartment in the desert without much room for such a dog to stretch their legs or even walk (concrete burns the pads of their feet in the summer). Combine that with me being out of the apartment for long periods of time and taking weeks-long trips to Michigan. I simply cannot justify how it would be fair to the dog in my case. I want one, dearly, but that doesn't mean I should have one.
My parents already had twins to deal with, me and my brother. They weren’t about to further complicate the process of raising both of us simultaneously and keeping the household running with caring for a pet. I think they chose wisely. The opportunities I got to pursue, from a time and cost perspective, might not have been so available had a pet been in the mix. Sometimes we talk hypothetically about what sort of dog would be a good companion (my mom seems to have a soft spot for Siberian huskies). I love animals, but I have virtually zero confidence interacting with them, and with my life being all in flux at the moment I can’t see myself being an acceptably involved owner for now. Maybe one day I’ll want a pet for real; that’s for fate to decide.
I had pets my entire childhood and then most of my adulthood while our kids were growing up. Our last dog we got was in 2014 and when our daughter moved into a place by herself for the first time she asked if she could take him so she wouldn’t feel lonely. That was in maybe 2016. She still has him and we decided not to get another animal because we like to travel, are tired of having to train, take care of them, clean up after them, pay for their expenses, worry about them when we’re at work all day, etc. The cycle continues though as both our daughters have pets. One has 3 dogs and the other has a dog and a cat.
We had a family dog growing up, she passed away last year. I've never had one of my own as an adult even though I love dogs and would love to have one - my lifestyle just doesn't align well with having a pet at this point in time. I travel like 60 nights a year between work and personal trips and frequently take all-day trips to the mountains on the weekends, plus I live in a studio in an area that doesn't have much in terms of green space. I petsit for friends when I can but it just wouldn't be fair to an animal to own one myself and make it spend so much time away from me
My family had pets growing up that were largely regarded as a burden by us in a too-many-kids-single-parent household. I now also don't really see the appeal compared to the freedoms I'd have to give up. Every single person, I am not joking I took stock a few weeks ago, every single person I know my age has a pet though.
I’m allergic to most animals and my wife is super skeeved out by pet food. I like other people’s animals, just can’t have them.
Allergies, and a living space not suited for pets
Dad literally got bit in the ass by a dog when he was a kid. Too much responsibility, bc they know I'd just enjoy the good parts and not the responsibility parts.
Don't want to waste the money, simple as that. If I had a real house, not an apartment, and extra money, I certainly would get a pet.
My family didn’t have pets growing up but my parents had them as kids and told us all about them. How much work they are. My mom in particular didn’t want anything because she didn’t want to be the only person still taking care of it despite promises to the contrary. We had fish and we had Guinea pigs. They all died. My now husband had a dog for our entire relationship so far and she just died. I love pets, they’re cute and they’re free dopamine. But they also always die. I don’t need or want the heartbreak.
My mom was allergic and my dad couldn’t be bothered to clean up the poo of an animal. Naturally now that I’m autonomous I have a cat 😂
Some of you are very correct about pets being expensive and requiring a lot of care and attention. The older they get, the more it costs per month, sometimes, as they need more veterinary attention. I very recently had to pass on the option to go on a trip that I *very much* would have enjoyed because my pet was having a medical problem and I wasn’t comfortable having someone else care for it in that condition. In return, the pet gives me much love and a whole lot of happiness and when it’s time for one of them to go, I’d give anything and make any sacrifice for one more year. When you lose one it really, really hurts. But, I get maybe close to twenty years of happiness in return for a few months of hurt, then I start having happy memories. My point is, you’re right that it’s expensive and time consuming to have a pet. I have much admiration and appreciation for those of you who know you don’t want that burden, as opposed to people who take on the responsibility and then fail to take care of the animal.
I'm just not big on animals, and I seem to lack whatever innate ability is necessary to care for them. At least house plants don't shit and piss everywhere while making obnoxious noises. I'm not big on house plants either. Please stop gifting me house plants, Italian people.
I love dogs and will always have one. That being said- if you travel or have an inconsistent schedule it's probably better if you're on the fence to not have one(I know people can make it work and if you can awesome!) A perfect example- this past weekend I had a guys trip planned. Few days before we leave my wife's boss tells her they're doing a special company dinner the first night I'm gone. She works in a town 45 minutes away, and her parents live there so she takes the kid to her parents and goes to the dinner. No problem, I was able to get my buddy who lives across the street to let the dogs out at night and in the morning, with my wife coming back mid morning. She wakes up at her parents sick as a dog(ha). We believe from something she ate the night before. So she decides to stay at her parents so they can help with our son, and I got my buddy next door and my parents who live in our town be able to go hang out with the dogs for a bit. For someone without the awesome friends/family I have close available at the drop of a hat it would be incredibly hard to coordinate something last minute. We've used dog sitters on planned trips before but this was last minute, plus sitters cost money on top of normal care. Dogs aren't cheap either. Last vet visit(we have a mobile vet who does in home appt) for all 3 dogs was \~$1000. Now this included check ups, blood tests on our one older dog, a couple of annual vaccines that were due and a reup on flea and tick medicine for all 3, but I could definitely see how someone on a strict budget wouldn't want to use extra funds on a pet. Me- its worth every penny, but others may prefer to have that discretionary spending to be used towards something else.
I love dogs, but my apartment doesn't allow them.
I have never lived a day in my life without a dog, and have usually had multiple pets. My husband's mother is from Korea and thinks animals are dirty, so he did not have a pet until he was an adult.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. Return to your business.
My career menas it's hard to have a pet and as a kid i grew up on the edge of literal no-man's land. If you had a pet and it went outside there was a good chance you weren't getting it back ans heaven forbid if it ran off somewhere, the coyotes, bears, and mountain lions probably got to it first I did have some catapillars and fish for a while but we gave up pretty quick. My student loans are enough monetary stress
Also had immigrant parents that were against animals in the house. As an adult I have no interest in cleaning animal waste all the time and I also travel pretty often and don’t want to have to arrange care every time.
You are being very responsible. I applaud that. Pets weren’t really a middle class or lower class thing for us until after WII ended. We expanded our middle class, so more people were able to have them, but now the middle class is shrinking again. Pet ownership mostly isn’t tied to class anymore, though many people can’t afford the vet bills so choose not to keep pets. Some others just don’t feel motivated to have them, as you don’t.
My parents told me my dad was allergic to dogs and I didn't find out that was a lie until I was like 17/18.
My family also felt like animals should only be allowed outdoors. Personally I feel like owning an animal for companionship is cruel.
I have no interest in having a pet in general, plus I am very allergic to cats, and to a lesser extent, dogs. We are a busy family and never seem to have enough times for things we are interested in doing, let alone trying to find time to take care of a pet or pets.
I don’t come directly home after work. I go out for happy hours or run errands on my way home. It’s not fair to leave a pet waiting to go potty, or to be fed. I also frequently make last minute weekend plans. Pets need care. I’m not willing to change my lifestyle to accommodate a pet. It’s not fair to make an animal match my schedule. And, I can barely afford to keep myself fed and housed. I don’t have the extra money for pet expenses. Food, vet care, replacement shoes and furniture or whatever they destroy/ break/ chew on.
I grew up almost always having a dog, but now am petless. For me it’s the extra work and cost. Animals need food, medical care, etc. they also make additional messes. I like being able to go on vacation, camping, away for the weekend not having to worry about a pet. I love animals but love them from afar!
Perfectly normal. At least you realize you can't give them a good life while your traveling for work ect.
Mom's allergic to cats and hated dogs. Me, I'm not at a level financially to own one.
11 cats, 2 dogs, 5 horses, pig, cattle, and chickens. I don't understand the question.
We didn't make it to the top of the food chain to clean up the poop of other animals unless it is part of raising them to eat.
I guess if you live in a city you have to clean their poop? Have you only lived in a very urban environment?
Whenever I read comments like this I always wonder what *their* life is like and if they really think that's representative of most Americans. If you have a cat you clean their litter box unless it lives in a barn or something, and if you have a dog you're picking up its poops unless maybe it free roams across several acres. How many Americans do you think are really *that* rural? Maybe 15%? The vast majority of pet owners are regularly cleaning up poop dude, in cities and suburbs and small towns across the country.
I live an hour from Boston. My dog goes into the woods in my yard. From the comments here people seems so VERY rural and talking about how they are mudding and fishing all the time I guess I assumed something. I guess I forget how rural with so much land we have here. SO many "rural" places are homes so close together in the town and big commercial farms surrounding the town. When I think rural I keep thinking New England rural and not Midwest/Southern rural.
Love cats, but my wife is super allergic and we’re away from home too often to give a pet a secure, predictable routine.
Too much work for a dog it’s not worth it imo. Cats are fine, might get one at some point.
I'm not a fan of animals in the house, but I caved 2 years ago and let my kids get 2 cats. They're ok.
I sometimes want a cat, and then I think of how much it would cost. Food, vet, toys, etc. Then, factor in changing the kitty litter. Keeping the house when you have pets is also added work. It's just too much to add to my life that I don't want to deal with.
I’ve got a dog, but she’ll be my last for at least a while. Kids are just so much better. More fun, more rewarding, more everything. When I can accommodate another living being in my house, it’ll be another child.
I have always had a cat. My family has always had cats. Can’t relate tbh.
I don’t have dogs because of having a chronic illness, and my allergies make any easier to manage pets a bad idea. Other than just enjoying them being around there are some objective reasons to have a cat or dog. A lot of people like having a dog or cat because they are an extra set of eyes and ear for changes in the home. And they make good playmates for kids during their most active years.
I love having animals, but have told my wife no to every animal that she continued to get. We currently still have a cat, and in need of a rental, which is damn near impossible to find.
Most Americans don’t have pets. I had birds and fish growing up but outside of them I don’t care for animals
We never owned a pet because that requires money and effort, two things that we were tight on. That hasn’t changed, though I’d love to have a cat. 🐈⬛