The Benefits of Pet Ownership for Children
Last spring, my family had to cope with the loss of our 13-year-old mutt, Zooey. We toyed with the notion of another dog, but ultimately decided we weren’t ready yet.
Earlier today, however, I came across this startling statistic from the Humane Society of the United States:
“The HSUS estimates that animal shelters care for between 6–8 million dogs and cats every year in the United States, of whom approximately 3–4 million are euthanized.”
Those numbers are likely to increase this year in response to home foreclosures and other economic woes, as more animals are turned over to shelters by owners who can no longer afford to care for them. In my area, shelters have been offering special days when adoption fees are waived; also, they have been asking the public for donations of pet food and supplies. Not just for the overcrowded shelters, but for pet owners who are in need of the help.
I can’t chase this thought out of my head, of all those dogs and cats in need of homes. But if the truth is to be told, I know that the real reason that I want another dog is because it completes my mental image of home, of family.
And in a completely objective, entirely unbiased sort of way, I’m mulling over all the benefits- physical, mental, and emotional- that this potential family addition would have for my children.
