by Jane Ward

Created on: February 07, 2009   Last Updated: March 02, 2009

The January sun has gone down hours ago, dropping the temperature to a frigid seven degrees. I find that I have to turn my high beams on just to see my way home.

As I turn into the empty driveway, I remember that Mom has her poetry class tonight, and I am alone. I sigh as I get my things together and prepare to make the cold, dark dash from car to house.

Just then the moonlight picks up two bright gems. They are the eyes of my cat, Lindsay, sitting on the front steps eagerly awaiting my arrival. She rubs my leg and purrs as I unlock the door and let us both into the warmth.

I wouldn't dream of not having a pet in a home I lived in. In addition to being a wonderful companion, an animal can be a reminder of a simpler way of living life. On my busiest days of bustling around trying to get a million things done before running out to do a million more things, I often catch Lindsay curled up on her favorite chair. She'll pick up her head as I dash into the room, and blink at me as if wondering what I'm so worked up about.

Whether human or animal, a laid-back friend is usually helpful in relieving stress in your life by simply reminding you by examle that some lives go on just fine without worrying too much.

Now, I'm not saying having a pet is some sort of stress-reducing magic potion. We've all known people whose pets simply add to the stress and chaos in their house. A close friend of mine has not one, not two, but four (FOUR!) golden retrievers. Every time I come to visit I'm- shall we say- warmly greeted. Which, in its own way, is wonderful. However, once we sit down and try to have a pleasant conversation, there is usually some sort of wet-nosed interuption every ten minutes or so.

Pet ownership, like most things, is a delicate balance. You have to know when to say when. Cats, for example, tend to keep to themselves and need minimal maintenance. That said, two or three cats is certainly enough. Any more than that and you're bound to get a couple who don't get along, not to mention the sheer amount of hair, food dishes, and various smells that begin to accumulate all over your house. Dogs- particularly large ones- tend to need a bit more attention than cats, and so an investment in these animals should not be made without serious thought regarding the amount of space you have in your house and yard, and the amount of time you will have to put into seriously training them. I have seen well-behaved dogs literally pitch in around the house by getting the newspaper every morning. But if you let your dog run amock as a puppy, he or she will probably just grow up to stress you out.

The number of pets in any house should be kept to a minimum, and training should be taken seriously. I would recommend first time pet owners start small. See if you remember to feed your goldfish, and if you enjoy coming home and having one-sided conversations, or if it just scares you that that bowl is sitting on your counter waiting to be knocked over. Hopefully you will find, as millions of people do, that a pet is an irreplaceable friend and companion who will never judge you, and who will always provide you with warmth and love.

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