My cat is my baby. She's been with me for the last 7-8 years, even helped me get through the breakup of a 6 year relationship. My ex's parents found her abandoned in an apartment they were cleaning out. She was left locked in a closet with no food, no water, and no litter box. Apparently her previous owners had another cat too, which they took with them. I don't see how someone can abandon a helpless animal. It's so cruel.
And then my bf and I got a dog together, and he is like our son. He even acts like a bratty 3 year old sometimes. When he doesn't get his way he will lie down and grunt or moan, but he's so cute that we don't really mind. lol. He is a half husky half shepard cross with very blue eyes that match my boyfriend's, lol. He got him for free on Kijiji, and apparently his last owner abused him. Grr, people like that make me so mad!! I thought I lost my dog the other day, but it turned out that my bf took him for a car ride. I was sooo frantic that I lost him, but in the end it turned out well.
My uncle and his gf live in Toronto (ON, Canada) and they sometimes rescue cats off the street. At one point they had 15 cats in an apartment (they took really good care of them, and you couldn't even smell any litter or anything), but now they are down to about 12 because 3 died.

Forget about animals, all people are replaceable.

I love my dogs and cat. They are my babies. But they are second to my REAL baby! I've recently had to give two away because of their behaviours towards my baby and I was worried that they would seriously hurt her. However, it was the most heart wrenching and upsetting thing. I believe taking on a pet is taking them on for life, but I guess circumsance changes things. But Gypsy and Hunter aren't replaceable. Sure we'll get another cat one day, but it won't be the same. And I made sure I sent them to very good homes (Gypsy went to a blooper!) My dogs, Byron and Floyd, are my boys, I love them so much. Byron and I have a special bond and nothing could change that. And Leo, he's my buddy and I love him to the ends of the earth. Some people don't understand, but at the end of the day... it doesn't matter what people think of the way you view your pets. It's only your conscience you have to answer to and if you love your animal then that is the best you do.

In all honestly, I find people more replaceable. I like animals more than people... by a long shot.

Animals are often more loyal than people.

This is quite topical, because the BBC ran a story on this topic today, discussing the mourning of pets and why it should be recognised that a pet death can be as painful as a relative's death.

Even though my cat is irritating most of the time, I'd still be heartbroken if she died. She's like the youngest member of my family.

I think pets are family... we lost a family memeber last monday. his name was oreoh & he was almost 3 years old. we think he had cancer b.c all signs were pointing to it. he was my daughter's dog. his last days were so hard.. he wasn't eating, he wasn't walking, he wouldn't even bark, he kept having seizures(sp?) & he wouldn't respond to his name. I honestly considered him my 1st son. LOL. we wanted to get another dog but I don't like the idea of replacing a dog with another dog. you got to give it time ya know?

I think people's opinions on whether pets are replaceable or not will rely solely on personal experience. I have had two pets in my life. A toy poodle named Jingle Bell who was stolen about a month after Christmas (yes, I got a puppy for Christmas). And second was Caleigh, who I did not want. My mom lived with someone who raised lhasa apsos. We got to pick one out that would then be house trained before we could keep her. Caleigh was not the puppy I picked, and I harbored my disappointment towards the unfortunate pup. Therefore, I was unable to form any kind of close relationship to an animal. Therefore, pets are quite replaceable for me.

My Uncle, however, never had any children of his own, so all his love was given to his dogs throughout his life. I have no doubt that if he had to choose between his late Haddie Mae and me that I would not win.

So pets are what you make of them. If you make them a family member, then they will feel that way to you. If you make them a pet, they will be a pet.

i was raised in that an animal is simply that, and they are to be treated as such. that doesn't mean i don't consider them a part of my family, they just form the non-human part lol. i just don't spoil the crap out of them or refuse to discipline them because i "love" them too much. my dog is just that, a dog.

i understand they are replaceable, not in a mean way though. that specific pet isn't replaceable. each animal is unique. you'll never have a pet that was exactly like another. i've dogs replace dogs my whole life. what you're replacing is the love and affection for the pet. you lose the comfort, companionship and love for and from the pet, and that's what you replace. to me i view it as replacing something you misplaced.

when paddy dies, i'll be very upset. i've had him since i was 11, but i know there will be another dog to replace that loss. doesn't mean i'll forget him, just like i haven't forgotten the other three dogs i've had.

i don't class any animals i've owned as my "babies", because that's just how i am, but i still enjoy their companionship and quirks, here's something i don't understand. a neighbour of mine years ago moved away and left his two dogs tied up in the back yard. now i can't relate to people that view their animals as children but even that makes more sense than abandoning them. i completely do not understand leaving a pet behind. how could you not worry or feel guilty about that? i may not view my dog as anything more than a dog, but i'd never just abandon him. how can people be capable of that?

The woman at my cattery was telling me recently that someone dropped off a cat there, said she was going on holiday and never came back for him. When she tried to contact the woman she found that she'd moved house and no-one knew where she was. I just don't get it... if you can't care for an animal... find them a new home, or take them to a shelter... don't just dump them! (Although I guess if you're going to dump a cat you can feel someone will get it to a good home if you dump it at a cattery! But why didn't she just contact the Cats Protection League herself??)