Service pets for health reasons: good
In parts of western society, not having a pet in the house is considered "weird." Some new couples consider getting a pet a priority over making babies. And some single women seem more interested in getting the right pet than getting the right men(okay, that's pushing it, I admit!). Question is, why are some people so obsessed with their pets? Is this really healthy?
In a chat recently with friends(and friends of friends), one told us a hilarious story involving her dog. She referred to the dog's name the whole time. Sometime during the chat, someone who joined us mid-chat actually exclaimed that he just realized she's talking about her dog. No, not this skeptical writer, I knew she's talking about her dog. I also realized something while she's talking, she has emotional attachment to the dog. Is this really healthy for a single girl like her?
It's never healthy to be too attached to anything let alone an animal. When you invest your emotional and physical energy on a pet, your other life interests may suffer without you realizing it. This is one thing the Pope is right on. We wonder why there is too much violence in society and we ask parents to raise their children properly. How would they do that when they are distracted by smartphones and pets? It would be helpful If parents invest all the emotional and physical energy they expend on their dogs and cats, instead on their children and themselves.
Service pets for health-related reasons are okay. Otherwise singles and young couples especially should really think about focusing more on themselves and their children.