I feel pets are such an awesome responsibility builder for kids. I know so many times mom ends up with all the work and the pet often ends up outside in the yard, because the kids lose interest due to the clean up, and work involved, and sometimes the pet ends up the subject of a rehoming add on Craig's list.

I know pets aren't for everyone, but I can't help but think "Awwww, that's so sad," when I see something for sale on ebay or a used materials board listed as "no pets in the home". I know there are allergies out there to deal with, but I decided I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was about 8 years old, and ended up with severe allergies (many things besides animals, but cats, horses, pigs and a couple of others were my animal allergies) by Jr High. I was still determined, even though I'd almost go into anaphylaxis around cats. I took shots for years and today I can work with the animals without much problem in the clinic, sometimes requiring a benadryl.  I don't think I'd survive without my horses, LOL.

I've had a cat in my home since my kids were born, because I was determined my children would not be allergic to animals. He knows to stay out of my room, and I believe my sensitivity has lessened throughout the years. I'm happy to say none of my kids are allergic to animals, and really haven't seen much allergy in them at all to anything, even though there's lots of allergies on both sides of the family.

I love it that my kids have come to the point that they feed and water and care for pretty much our whole ranch of animals daily. Our neighbor was so impressed that he hired my girls to come over daily and check on his ranch (he lives on the island and used to come once or twice throughout the week and most weekends, now only comes on the weekends) to check his minature cattle and donkey.

It's been fun for them to be able to bottle feed/hand feed orphaned animals, to raise and set free.

We love critters at our house- how about you??