Originally posted by Kfamr
I honestly do not think "poor people" should have kids or pets. They are living creatures, both kids and pets, and need tons of care. Not having money is stopping you ( if you were poor) from giving the care that the animal or child needs. I'd be absolutely miserable if my family wasn't financially stable to care of animals or bring them into our family. BUT, i'd much rather not have that on my shoulders if I wasn't able to pay for vet bills or whatever needed, this meaning I wouldn't own an animal, or have a child, if I wasn't financially stable or able to have such responsibility.
Oh boy ... what a can of worms!

I'll totally leave the "kid" issue alone ... that's for another thread for sure.

However .... regarding pets and "poor" people ....

First of all ... define "poor". How do you?

Is "poor" unable to provide food? Then yes, if that is the case, I'd say if you can't feed a pet, you shouldn't have one. Or is "poor" unable to afford Science Diet or Iams ... but your dog gets plenty of Alpo or Ol' Roy? In that case, I'd say that the "poor" person who can feed a dog Alpo for fifteen years is a fine pet owner indeed.

Same thing with medical care - Is "poor" unable to pay for vaccinations? If so, they that "poor" person probably shouldn't have a pet. But if "poor" is unable to put $5,000 aside for a possible medical emergency somewhere down the line ... then I'd say that person could certainly have a pet in good conscience.

I believe it also depends on where the pet came from ... it's prior circumstances. If a "poor" person rescues a starving, sick dog from a slow and painful death ... and nurses it back to health, feeds it Ol' Roy, and doesn't have the money for expensive medical emergencies in a bank account somewhere ..... yet the dog lives for ten happy years, loved by this "poor" person, instead of slowly starving to death at the end of chain ..... you still think this "poor" person shouldn't own a pet?

Everything is not black or white, Kay. Actually, NOTHING is black or white, everything is shades of gray. The people in my town that are called "poor" might be upper-middle-class in the rural South Eastern USA ... and they would certainly be filthy rich in many parts of Africa. The store-brand dog food that I would never feed to my dogs might keep a "poor" person's dog perfectly healthy for its' entire life ... and I know there are starving humans all over the world that don't eat anything nearly so grand as store-brand dog food their entire lives.

Judge not ....