Should I get a pet?

There are dozens of reasons to have a pet in your home, but there are many others to wait until there is the right time and the right pet.

Pros: Animals offer far more than entertainment and companionship. If you have a family, caring for animals can teach your children many things, like how to be gentle, responsible, empathetic, nurturing, and compassionate for all living creatures. Actually there are studies that show that simple acts like watching fish or patting a cat have physiological effects, like decreasing blood pressure and levels of stress hormones. Being around animals can help children develop social competence and self-esteem, as well as help them cope with disabilities and emotional problems.

Cons: There are many other reasons why sometimes is better to wait, like the responsibility to take care of the animal, cleaning, walking, feeding, training and giving them the necessary attention. Besides this there is also an economic aspect that has to be taken into consideration since they will need vet visits, food, boarding or pet-sitting if necessary within others...

Besides the decision of getting a pet or not, its important to consider what pet to get: dog, cat, bird, hamster, fish, ferret, lizard... there are many possibilities. Keep reading and we will try to discus the pros and cons of each of your options.