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People Should Treat their Pets like Members of Their Family

For many decades, people have lived and valued pets to a point of staying and spending time with them in the same house. Additionally, many families in United States have also become of age as they have realized the need for taking care of their pets. This comes as the government and none government organization continue to push for more rights for the animals. Recently, all sort of animals have been used differently as pets globally. At the same time, many of these animals cherished as pets have continuously been mistreated by some of their owners to the level of being left on the streets and by the roadside. Such is unacceptable. Typically, pets don’t just find their way to the owners, but it’s out of the interest that persons put effort to either purchase or adopt a pet.

Are you a pet owner? Do you have any plans to own a pet? Frequently, owning a pet remains one’s choice on whether to own a pet or not. Having said that, knowing that one can as well do without a pet is vital as this limits a situation where one owns a pet unwillingly, creating room for one to mistreat the animal. However, with all the necessary requirements to support and raise a pet, this gives one an opportunity to have a companion, especially the aged people (Walsh, 53). Bob aged 76, asked why he kept a pet said “am glad to have “Metty” he gives me psychological support and companion when am bored.” Bob lives alone, but he believes with a pet he remains happy as ‘he’ gives him company every time. He also claimed that it was his choice to adopt a dog rather than other animal pets.

Each family always has different reasons for owning a pet (Cain, p. 74). Having lived in a family of three kids, our family had two pets. As we grew up, dad would remind us that if we created a good environment for our cat and dog “Stacy”, the pets would give back affection and a friendly compassion. Frequently, pets are friendly animals. With such, they ought to be treated in a special way for one to comfortably live with them. Through numerous researches conducted on human pet’s relationship, a big percentage of families individual characteristics have been a major factor leading to their pets’ aggressiveness (Millan, Peltier, p. 49). It, therefore, proves that if the animals we call pet were treated properly as family members they would coexist appropriately with humans as part of the family.

Due to the fact that most pets in the US are protected by law, many families, as much as they may want to have a pet, they have been forced to follow all the legal procedures in order to own a pet. The law for many is a condition that has forced many families to be careful on how they treat their pets. Many families have either been sued for mistreating their pets to a point of causing their death. This is unacceptable, if all due legal processes are followed to own a pet, then it’s the owner responsibility to take care for his or her pet.

As discovered by Granding and Johnson, most animals are like humans in their growth stages. They demand love and affection from their family set up, particularly from both their “moms and dads” (p. 471). In a situation where these pets are not able to live and grow in their normal environment, humans who owns such animals as pet should be willing and ready to compensate pets with such a family set up especially in their homes. Pets should feel appreciated. Some people ask, “Do pets such as dogs stressed?” “Yes they do!” in normal cases if pets are put under harsh conditions in the family, they become stressed. Just like humans, pets if not well they tend to distance themselves from their owners. They isolate themselves from active participation within owners home. In the process, many of this pets ends becoming stressed to a point of even becoming aggressive to owners and their visitors. If treated well as family members many pets constantly respond positively and even become friendly to the owners.

Surprisingly, pets have in most cases played an important role in the medical fields. Doctors have frequently advised selected patients with special medical cases to buy a dog or any other pets to help them in their healing process. Regularly, some patients may demand therapy sessions in their illness especially those suffering from dementia. This, in many times, for instance, for people living alone but with such illness, might as well be recommended by doctors to own a pet. Different animals can be used for this purpose. As noted by Burgon, some people use a horse for their therapy sessions particularly through horse-riding (p.216).

Pets such as dogs play a vital role in the family mostly in proving psychological support after a tiresome day of activities. Many pet normally are trained to adapt numerous human behaviors, and thus they tend to have a sense of humor while interacting with their owners. Pet owners tend to have high expectations against their pets. Asked on what expectation they have their pets, one family said, “we expect at least our dog to welcoming after a day long struggle at work” “in fact it feels good when ‘he’ wait to welcome us at the door as ‘he’ jumps all over the place”. Many dogs, for instance, respond positively to their owners if treated well. They provide that emotional support when one need it. Other pets like birds, and cats also when trained are harmful to humans. But for their survival in most cases is dependent on their owners as they are accommodated in the owner’s house. A big percent of such pets if left alone in the street they are normally unable to adapt the new change of environment and, therefore, some if not found early ends up dead. Pets demand our respect, the life with us, they respond to most of our needs, they, therefore, ought to be treated as members of the family.

For many families with pets, each gives a different story on why they keep their pet. Unlike in developing countries where pets are not valued, most family value pets in developed nations, and they are treated differently as they are trained, and well taken care of. At the same time, some families in developed nations fight over whether a pet should stay or not. Some families have ultimately faced legal battles as they blame the pets for different challenges facing them in their homes (Carlisle-Frank, Frank, and Nielsen p. 35). Pets, frequently adopts different family environments, but at the same time, if put in an unfriendly environment they tend to react aggressively as a way of claiming their “space” in the family. In such a situation, families also need to accept that at some point they are the major cause of conflict with their pets. It’s also important for a family to adjust immediately they adopt a pet. Understanding that a pet react by how it’s treated by the owner is a virtue that should be practiced at home. By this cases of reported pet mistreatments could come to an end. “Our pets are what we train them to be and a reflection for our behaviors.”

With the availability of adequate resources to maintain a pet, it is necessary for families to understand the importance of pets to the family members. Many like children love the companion of their pets. Through numerous research, the pet is of value to “kids” growth. This may include health and mental benefits in their growth process (Walsh p. 461). However, some kids may have some health reaction towards some pets. Families should, therefore, avoid a situation where they buy or adopt a pet without having considered some factors. It should be noted, “Pets don’t choose families to stay, but we need them for our different reasons.” With this in mind, families should take time in their choice of pets. It would facilitate the process of kids adopting their favorite pets, and therefore facilitating the coexistence of pets with their owners. Essentially, many pets that are treated well by their owners can live with the family for many years. By this, they become part of the family, and their rights should at least be respected.

On the other hand, some families have successfully put control measures in order to manage the extreme behaviors for their pet. Just like humans, pet’s behaviors are manageable. They can be controlled if they are to the extreme. Our neighbors pet had developed a behavior of jumping over the home furniture’s, and breaking anything left on the table. Surprisingly, every time the dog would that, Jessie would shout, “What are you doing?” “Go outside.” I vehemently could watch the situation unfold but hoped she would take collective measures to control the dog behavior. Mostly, families ignore their pet weird behaviors, but only come to regret later and even blame each other when the behavior becomes uncontrollable. We can all control family pets behaviors, it’s our responsibility. Through such, we can escape future situations where pets become a source of conflict among the family members.

Through numerous pet trainers, a family can decide on the type of pet to purchase or adopt. Taking the time to learn more concerning pets is vital for proper coexistence with humans. In many cases of unobserved pets in streets are as a result of cases of misunderstanding, where the owner lives with a pet with knowing its characteristics. It’s crucial for the pet owner to take the time to research on the type of pet that best suit them. By enquiring from trainers, for instance, individuals are introduced through the pet behaviors and how to handle them. Throughout the training, pet are introduced to human behavior that match with families characteristics. Taking the time to reflect on how one would coexist with a pet prevent a situation where one either buy or adopt a pet mentally unprepared. Such cases are common with families. Many have bought pets when unprepared mentally and physically. In that case, conflicts in families have become common as many fails to see the need for the pet when it’s already in the house. Families should, therefore, adopt or buy pets only when they need it rather than for other reasons such influence. With such, this could improve the relations between the pet and the owners.

Families that choose the kind of pet to adopt among the members, constantly tend to have high chances of taking care of the pet efficiently. They also tend, to value their pets more than families whose decision is made by one person. For proper coexistence, every member in the family has the right to be involved on the decision-making process, especially if the pet is to live with all members of the family. Rarely, pets are un-discriminatory. They easily adopt different members of the family that adopts them.   But at the same time, some members of the family may be uncomfortable with the kind of pet brought in the family. For there to be an equal treatment, by all members of the family, it’s vital for members to be involved in such decision. By that, members can appreciate the existence of the pet in their home. It’s, therefore, possible to live with a pet in a family that treats its existence as a member of the family.

Conclusion

The decision to live with a pet should be through the involvement of all members in the family. It’s also not justified to mistreat a pet that coexist with family in the same home as they too have their rights. Taking the time to understand family pets even way before they are introduced in the family is also crucial as the members have time to prepare for new companion their homes. Through taking such measure, families can coexist with their pet peacefully and have respect for their pet. Therefore, treating the pet as a member of the family would mean taking the time to ensure all their needs are met. Pets depend on the owner for its survival, taking the time to establish what right for pet, enhance better coexistence with the pet as the family gets its services back in one way or the other.

Reference

Burgon, H. Case studies of adults receiving horse-riding therapy. Anthrozoos,13, 213–223, 2003.

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Cain, A. A study of pets in the family system. In A. Katcher & A. Beck (Eds.), New perspectives

On our lives with companion animals (pp. 72–81). Philadelphia, PA: University of

Pennsylvania Press, 1983. Print.

Carlisle-Frank, P., Frank, J. and Nielsen, L. Selective battering of the family pet. Anthrozoos, 17(1), 26–

42, 2004. Print.

Millan, C., and Peltier, M. Be the Pack Leader—Use Cesar’s Way to Transform Your Dog and

Your Life. Harmony Books, New York, pp. 42–120, 2007. Print.

Grandin, T. and Johnson, C. Animals make us human. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print.

Walsh, F. Human-animal bonds I: The relational significance of companion animals.

Family Process, 48(4), 462–480, 2009. Print.

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