For me, having pets around my home isn’t an option.  I’ve nearly always had cats or dogs around and it’s hard to imagine life without them. I don’t even like to use the term “owner” because sometimes it seems they own me instead. Right now, I have two dogs and one cat.  Each of them has a unique personality which enriches my life to a degree that can’t be overstated.

Are there downsides to having pets?  Sure there are, but none of them outweigh the benefits. There is the occasional chewed up chair leg, an “accident” on the floor, costly trips to the veterinarian, and of course, muddy feet.  Every time it rains, which is usually shortly after cleaning our floors, our dogs track in the mud from the back yard leaving their evidence on the previously cleaned floors.  They always come in with gusto as if to proudly proclaim what a great time they had. Like little boys, a good mud hole is really hard to pass up for our pups.  I wonder if they’re secretly thinking what idiots we are for not enjoying the base pleasures of something as simple as running in the mud.

For me, it’s a small price to pay for all the companionship, love, and just plain fun they offer.