Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
 Good luck with whatever you decide, winter. Do what works for you so you are happy and won't end up resentful. |
Exactly. And the being resentful thing works both ways. Just as you (the general you) wouldn't want to resent your significant other for making you get rid of your pet, I would think that you wouldn't want to end up "resenting" your pet for having to give up your significant other. People have to determine what their own priorities are and manage things as they see fit. Every situation is different and everyone handles things differently.
I actually have a friend who moved from Dallas to Houston for work. His significant other, who he had been with for 4 years, moved with him. He planned to propose. And then it all fell apart. They had two dogs together. She moved back to Dallas and took one dog, he kept the other. Without going into the whole long story, he met a new girl in Dallas. He drives up there nearly every weekend to see her (all 4+ hours), and he has to take the dog. The only people he's good friends with here in Houston are me and my boyfriend, and we can't watch his dog (apartment rules… plus, we don't want to have to play babysitter all the time). He takes the dog with him and his dad watches her for the weekend. My friend doesn't know if he's going to keep her. He LOVES the dog, but his life changed in an instant and he's found himself in a completely different situation. Fortunately, he has a good friend in Dallas who said he'd take the dog if it comes to that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MTSUGURL
I've never understood the people that get a dog/cat/whatever and then say, "I'm pregnant! Can someone take my dog/cat/whatever?" I got my Gracie while I was single and from day one had her around other animals and children to get her used to any situation we might have in the future.
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First of all, pets can live a long time. You could get a pet at 22, get pregnant at 32, and still have your pet. Things change. Sometimes it's just not feasible to keep the pet.
I had cats growing up. I love both cats and dogs. But they're very different. Before my brother and I were born, my parents got a cat. The cat was very friendly. I was born, then my brother. For years the cat was fine. And then I was a toddler, and toddlers like to touch things, and grab things, and there are only so many times you can grab a cat's tail before they start to get really pissed off. After the cat scratched my friend across the face (3 of us kids were bothering the crap out of the cat), my parents couldn't keep him in the house anymore. Sometimes it's not only about mommy getting sick. Some people just don't want to run the risk of having an animal around a child (or having a child around an animal! Man, I feel bad for that cat..)
I also have a friend who still has a big scar on her arm from when her dog bit her as a child. Again, the dog was friendly (and they didn't end up giving him away), but the dog was playing and just bit down on her arm too hard.
All of that being said, if a couple doesn't want an animal around their baby, they shouldn't buy a pet when they're trying to get pregnant, or when they know that they're close to trying. I've seen people do this and it's just dumb.
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