The editorial

Pet Ownership Should be a Mutual Decision

Having a pet needs to be a mutual decision. Even though the presence of pets can have a very positive impact on your marriage, don't make the mistake of giving your mate a cute, cuddly kitten or puppy without being absolutely, positively, 100 percent sure that your spouse really, truly, honestly wants one.

Be practical about the type of pet that your home and lifestyle can handle. Additionally, you need to set boundaries as to where the pet will sleep, what areas of the home may be off limits to it, who will care for it and feed it, and how much money can be spent on the animal.

Just as couples should discuss important matters that affect the everyday home life and everyday routine so should they discuss beforehand decisions about pets. If one person tends to put their admiration for all things ‘animal’ above the needs, wants, and desires of their personal relationships – they might at some point, find them alone.

There are many areas of pet ownership that can lead a married couple to conflict, even divorce. Polls on pets in marriage are showing a 60+% of saying that having pets has created problems in their marriages.

Animals in the home should add solace, love, peace, and happiness. When they no longer do so, and begin to interfere with relationships, there is the potential for major relationship problems down the road – that can eventually become too much to survive. Animal ownership, like finances or the division of household duties – is something that should always be discussed prior to bringing home an animal and should be a subject area where compromise skills are used to settle differences.