Are pets really worth all the trouble?

For several months now Mike has really been begging for a dog. I keep telling him that we aren't ready for one and that they are SO much work--no matter how cute they really are. They are needy--they are as much responsibility as having children. It's not like they have pet insurance, so they are expensive. They make messes...messes I would have to clean up. I have a hard enough time cleaning up after Mike and myself without having an animal to add to that. We would have to find a babysitter for it when we traveled. We couldn't get an outside dog because we don't have a fenced backyard--AND I would feel sorry for it when its cold. Dogs (pets for that matter) are just so much work!

Don't get me wrong, I think they are adorable...most of them anyway...and I always loved having Curly and Sugar around--well, Sugar was mean. But they were really Mom's dogs--they always favored her. Maybe thats because I put Curly in a small trash can and bounced her around on my knees when we were both little. I sure loved that little dog...

It is difficult to continue driving when I see "Free puppies" on the street corner. How could anyone not want one of these?


They are cute, but my mind always goes back to the logistics of having a dog and I just can't bring myself to get one. Maybe I'm just hard-hearted...I like to think of myself as cautious and responsible.

On a final note, I got some good news driving to work this morning...They found Patches:


Oh wait...that can't be good news...