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Spreading the love among
multiple pets
September 6, 2007
A co-worker who recently attended her high school reunion reconnected
with a former classmate and was shocked to learn her classmate now has
five kids! We all reacted with amazement. Then we all had to laugh at
our hypocrisy and misguided sense of balance when we realized that most
of us in the room have a burgeoning household of pets.
Many of my co-workers have at least two pets, and there are some of us
that tip the scale at five or more. As many of you know just from
reading this column, I have five, two dogs and three cats, that allow me
to share a home with them.
A home with multiple pets is yet another indicator of how important pets
are in our lives. According to statistics from the American Pet Products
Manufacturers Association, 63 percent of American households have a pet,
and almost half of those households own more than one.
Changing attitudes toward pets as family members and the changing family
structure over the decades are likely the major contributing factors to
multiple-pet households. It's evident when you look at the demographics
of today's pet owners: 61 percent are childless, and those pet owners
are either single, unmarried couples waiting to have kids, same-sex
couples or empty-nesters.
The reasons we find ourselves with more than one companion animal often
vary. It may be that we want to provide another companion for our
four-legged friend left alone at home while we are at work; we feel
guilty and don't want them to feel lonely. In other occurrences it may
just happen as a chain of events.
We "rescue" a kitten that has wandered into our yard, and ultimately
into our home and hearts. Or we may go to the local animal shelter to
adopt (always a good thing to do) and rather than separate a pair of
kittens we decide to adopt both. I've also heard many tales of the stray
dog that has wandered into someone's life and been welcomed by the
family dog already there.
There's also the journey of the foster care "parent" who becomes a
permanent home. It's hard to let go of the animal that you've been
caring for. (By the way, being able to let go of a foster animal is not
a bad thing. It means that you're available to foster the next one in
need).
For some people, discovering the benefits of having a companion animal
is likely to contribute to the desire to have more than one. The
human/animal bond is a very fulfilling relationship that's hard to
measure against any other. They delight us and, as studies have shown,
reduce stress and contribute to our general well being.
It's not to say, however, that we should all become a multiple-pet
household. The decision to bring an animal into the home is a
responsibility that should not be taken lightly and not done as an
impulse. There are many things to consider, including the expense of
meeting their basic needs as well as their medical needs. Expenses can
double or even triple, depending on the circumstances.
Lifestyle is another consideration. Socializing and exercising our
companions are important to their well being, and we have to ask if we
can provide the time and commitment each one may require. You'll also
have to evaluate if your current companion is a single dweller or one
who can adapt to sharing its home with another four-legged family
member. Dogs are sociable creatures (and cats and dogs can co-exist
peacefully) but some pets are better suited as being "the only child."
Whether or not a multiple-pet household is the ideal fit for you depends
on many factors. But one thing's for sure, once you've experienced the
multiple pitter-patter of paws romping across the floor, the playful
orchestra of barks and meows, and each one's unique personality, you
can't imagine life without any of them.
- Gloria
Dauphin
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