The Asset of a Pet

The Asset of a Pet
I grew up hearing my father swear that pets are a waste of money. He couldn’t be further from the truth. Pets improve life. Pets provide a way to learn responsibility, assist in jobs, and calm emotions.
Every child and adult who owns a pet must learn responsibility. Pets are living creatures that require food, shelter, and attention. Depending on the species of pet, different needs are required: certain types of food, heat lamps, bedding, or training. Another responsibility to learn is how to keep pets away from common food that can be poisonous. For example, a chocolate bar can mean the death of a dog or cat if they consume it. Training is also important to the welfare of a pet. The store Petsmart has obedience classes weekly for dogs. These classes and learning how to take care of a pet help people develop a sense of responsibility. As an owner teaches her pet how to behave, she also trains herself to deal with situations in school, work, and other relationships.
More so, many pets help improve life for the community as well as personally. Good examples are guide dogs for the blind and deaf. These handicapped people can cope with how busy life is and become more efficient. Lab animals are trained and taken care of to help test potential products. Without their assistance and experience, many medicines would not be available in hospitals. Dogs have a keen sense of smell that police and professional hunters take advantage of. The trace of drugs, game trails, and hiding convicts cannot hide from the canine nose. Pets are also protective and guard what is their territory. Strangers are usually not welcome to a barking dog in the middle of the night, and cats will kill unwanted pests in the household. The small jobs that pets do daily help improve life physically.
Furthermore, the effect pets have on minds and hearts improves life. Medical doctors suggest that people who own pets live longer and suffer less stress than people who do not own pets. The simple act of petting my cat helps clear my mind so I can cope with some of life’s unfair moments. Retirement homes improve vastly with loving quiet pets that roam the halls. The elderly have a friend who is content to sit, listen, and won’t have to leave. The adorable antics of puppies will make anyone smile. Pets become a member of the family in many cases. The emotional effect a pet has brings people to buy tombs, urns, and other tokens of love for their pets even after death. And it is hard to get over a pet’s death for many people, and it will never be replaced. Pets have a special medicine that heals the soul.
Pets improve life because they require responsibility, they are physically helpful, and they help people cope with life. If more people realize that, society will have a better chance to stop pet over population. Had my father thought these benefits over, he would correct his words and swear what a wonderful investment a pet is.