Comments on: What Can a Pet Do For You?

By: Purple

Purple — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:55:28 +0000

Dogs have also been shown to help asthmatic kids recover faster.

By: d

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:54:56 +0000

I took in two, five year-old cats when my neighbor moved and coundn’t take them. They are brother and sister and I love them both so much! They have distinct personalities, they were both spayed and neutered, and the use the bathroom outside (no kitty-litter box!). They accepted me with no problem because I used to play with them and love them when my neighbors were still here.

Sister had abandonment issues and had a harder time adjusting than her brother. Brother is more of on outdoor cat and sister likes to sleep with me at night. They are my babies and I’m happy they’re with me. They keep me in check and are a substitute for the kids I don’t have.

Brother and sister aren’t my cats’ real names but their names are obvious.

By: kiasonghay

kiasonghay — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:57:19 +0000

When I adopted my dog they estimated that he was about 2 years old. A former stray, he was already completely housebroken and knew how to do some tricks. I’ve never been able to housebreak a dog so this was such a blessing. Now, 5 years later, my dog is my baby! Boyfriends come and go. Friends come and go, but my Chi is always there. He is loyal, loving, active, and cute. Shelter pets are awesome!

By: Nana

Nana — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:43:23 +0000

Afrobella, this post was so great. Eight years ago I moved to Washington, DC for graduate school and after the first month I was lonely and stressed. I was living in a studio apartment and didn’t want a human roommate, but I wanted some companionship. I went to the Washington Animal Rescue League and found my kitty Fiji. Fiji had been in the shelter for a while because he only has one eye and no one wanted to take him home. Fiji is one of the best things that has happened to me. He got me through three years of law school, the stress of the bar exam, the harrowing quest to find work, meeting and then marrying my husband and all of the ups and downs of the past eight years. I cannot tell people what a joy it is to have a pet who will give you love no matter what is going on in our life. I would also encourage anyone who wants to adopt to go to their local shelter. There are so many wonderful animals who need some love and a good home.

By: Joy

Joy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:22:17 +0000

Thank you so much for this post! I have a friend who has a schnauzer named Buddy that he has to give away because his apartment complex won’t allow it. I really want to take it in but my parents are not for pets, my mom is scared of dogs, and they think they’re too messy and costly and whatever. But honestly, I think this dog would be a great addition to the family (we have a pretty big family too!).

Thanks again!

By: Phyrra

Phyrra — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:57:56 +0000

Several years ago, I adopted 2 Birman cats, one 7 and the other 9 years old. People thought I was crazy to adopt older pets, but as pretty much every pet I’d had in my life at that point had been adopted, I didn’t mind. It was a wonderful experience. The 7 year old, Baby, lived to be 11 and then she had kidney failure, and that was extremely hard. The 9 year old lived to be 15.5 and just passed away this January at the same time that I lost one of my grandmothers. Quasar’s body basically started shutting down, and she could no longer eat, drink, or poop. She had been on a decline for 3 months where I kept taking her to the vet to get her IV fluids and to try and revive her. While it hurt to lose my cats, I still have a lot of wonderful, loving memories of both of them. I definitely think that adopting an older pet may not be for everyone, but it can be rewarding.