PERSONAL PET PEEVE: Pets Are NOT Kids

Just sharing a little "pet peeve" (pun totally, shamelessly intended) of mine.

It drives me completely batty when someone sends out an e-mail or does a blog post announcing a "new baby girl" and it turns out to be a female bulldog they've added to their home, or in some other way refers to a pet as a "child" or a "new baby". It happens all the time... you go visit a young couple who laughingly says, "here are OUR kids", while gesturing towards their two golden retrievers. I know, it's often done supposedly "in jest" or in a cutesy, wink-wink sort of way, but it is indicative of a deeper problem in our culture.

Namely, it points to the lack of maturation and willingness to accept responsibility that is a hallmark of this American generation. Pets used to be the purview of 8-12 year old boys on a farm. Now, it's "the" accessory to have, whether you're a young-married couple who just "isn't ready for kids yet" (who is?, I want to ask!), or single who isn't ready for marriage, or a married couple who has reached the max of 2.3 kids and just can't handle any more children.

Now, I'm not knocking on pets. If you want a dog, get one. If you love gerbils, by all means, fill every nook and cranny in your home with the smelly little vermin. But please, don't, at least to me, introduce said dog or gerbil as the "new baby in your home". While I get that pets are special and add a neat element of fun and relaxation to a home, and do require some level of selflessness (although not anywhere near the level of children), they are not children.

They do not have eternal souls.

They are not called "blessings" in the Word of God.

I repeat, they ARE NOT CHILDREN.


We will now return to the normal, collegial, inquisitive, analytical tone you normally find here at Making Home. I just had to get this off my chest. :) If you have anything you need to get off your chest (whether or not it involves pets), please feel free to leave a comment.