Has owning a pet changed your life?

Fellow pet owners - if there was a time when you didn't have a pet, was your life different from it is now?

Did you make decisions about where to live or where to work based on your pet's needs?

Did you turn down a promotion at work, or conversely, go after a promotion so you could afford a house and have a pet?

Fellow pet owners - if there was a time when you didn't have a pet, was your life different from it is now?

Did you make decisions about where to live or where to work based on your pet's needs?

Did you turn down a promotion at work, or conversely, go after a promotion so you could afford a house and have a pet?

1. Yes.
2. As far as where to live, we did consider the size of yard and the area, but not the town where our pet was concerned.
3. Nope, hasn't affected job status one way or the other. Although, there are times that I really wish I could take her to work with me! Having Molly around helps my stress level tremendously. We adopted her in TX and she has moved with us 3 times!

Prior to getting my first job, I was an apartment renter. When I decided to get a dog, bucked up and went for the better job, which in turn led to a still better job, owning my own house, etc. The steps in between that point (apartment dweller) and where I am now (house owner) were incremental in nature, but I always had the consideration of the pet. Maybe it would have been different if I had owned a hamster, vice a 90 lb dog. :)

Yes, having pets dominates my life and to a large extent, defines me. I'm sure that my level of compassion is greater because I care for my critters. There's no doubt that my blood pressure is lower and satisfaction with the daily grind is higher because I come home to my adorable dogs and cats. I get a warm and wildly enthusiastic welcome home each time I return. Who wouldn't love that?

When we bought our house we had five dogs (three were Great Danes). Nearly all the towns and cities around the Wasatch Front have a limit of two dogs. The city we moved to was considering a sportsman permit that would allow people with larger lots to have up to five dogs. Perfect, except it didn't pass. We simply lived in violation until our dogs passed on. Actually, we stayed at three dogs most of the time we've lived here and have only been legal the last four years.

We also own two mules, so it was necessary for us to buy horse property. We found a place with just shy of two acres. Now that we have the house almost paid off the state is posed to build a road right through our pasture. We're hoping that never happens and it's unnerving being in limbo because of it.

We also have cats. Right now only four, we've owned many more at one time in years past.

We are blessed to have neighbors willing to take care of the outdoor animals when we go out of town.

Our dogs are our biggest factors in our lifestyle choices. We like to take them with us so we rarely go to American National Parks anymore. We loved the ability to take them into Canadian National Parks last summer. We choose dog friendly places to camp or visit. Lodging costs more, but having the dogs along is worth it.

We're approaching ten years of membership and service at our local dog club where we've contributed hundreds of volunteer hours. Many of our best friends are people we met in our dog club. We joined the club when we got Shimmer, so that definitely changed our lives.

Owning as many animals as we do costs quite a bit. I don't ever think of my life in the terms of what I've had to do to afford them. I just work and take the best care of all of them that I can.

The poll does not cover all parameters!! I for one make concessions to ensure that our pets are comfortable, well feed, healthy, and secure. By concessions, I mean we may not take a 5 day vacation because we do not like to leave our pets at the vet over 3 days, or we will not leave home when it is stormy because or Keeshond cannot tolerate storms, etc, etc. We love and care for our pets.

I have an opinion, but it's not available in the selections.

I have always had pets . I once applied for a job as a groundskeeper at a private school, I told them at the interview that my dog went where I went, so they said to bring my dog with me , he was a hit with the all the staff and the children, especially the kindergarten class's . Where ever I have lived it was only if my animals were allowed . We now own a home in an unincorporated city and own 3 dogs, 4 cats , 2 roosters,16 chickens, 7 rabbits, a parrot, a cocatiel, and a pigeon . I have owned rodents, fish, snakes, 77 parakeets all at one time and 17 turkeys even . You have probably guessed that I seldom go anywhere . This summer though I will try to make the meet in Portland Oregon and a friend and a neighbor have offered to watch my animals in return for my having watched their animls in the past .

I have an opinion, but it's not available in the selections.

How about telling us what it is? These polls are hard to put together to cover every angle.

Yah, I don't think I can modify the survey, but would love to hear anything anyone has to say!

I didn't vote either because although sharing life with a pet has made a tremendous difference in our lives, it did not "made me work harder and achieve my goals". We have always had room for a pet, so that was not a consideration. We have made a lot of adjustments in our life to for the welfare of our pet, but nothing we regret doing. We are in fact starting the process over again because the benefits far outweigh the costs.

I have always had pets....especially dogs. I didn't click any of the options because none seemed to fit my situation.
I'm very glad that I own dogs. I love them greatly and enjoy them every day. I am however very worried about when they pass on.:( I do not do well with loss and will be a wreck when this happens. After they are gone my wife and I plan on doing some long distance travel that isn't practical for us with our dogs. Maybe Hawaii or Europe....who knows. I've never been able to place our fella's in a boarding kennel or trust anybody to take care of them.

yes. there are now more short hairs that i have to vacuum than before.