Do you own any pets?

Sadly not any more.

I do miss having one, they are a great source of comfort and joy!
Maybe one day....If I can I will consider it.

by jonaja

My kids have two birds and a fish. I am very much attached to them as I am the one who spends most of the time with them. they are a delight!

by Sharm Jay

I have three guinea pigs called Twiglet, Twitch, and Frith. Sadly, Freya, my fourth, paased away shortly after new year. I love guinea pigs; they are so adorable the way their bottoms waddle, and they each have their own little personalities.

by Bryony Harrison

I have always wanted guinea pigs. Unfortunately, my husband is allergic.

I used to breed llamas, geese, and ducks, however now only have my two dogs who I love as they are with me all the time!

by Finy

Oh my gosh! I love llamas! Do they need a lot of space to roam?

I had 5 acres but they need about 1 acre for 2 llamas to be comfortable and more to be happier! I also tried alpacas but they are nowhere near as friendly.
I now have a room full of beautiful wool ready to be spun and dont quite know what to do with it after it is spun!!

The ones in the photo, were they yours? They are so adorable!

Yes, one is a newborn, and the other a mother -they are not alpacas which are smaller

We have a cat and 2 chooks. The chooks think they are live in pets as they always come to the back door and come inside. They also like to follow one of us around the yard.
Our cat is so easy going. She hasn't bothered with the chooks since day 1. The chooks will eat out of our cat's bowl and drink her water and she pays no attention to them.
We love our chooks and our cat and would love to get a dog when the kids are a bit older.

by Cookielicious

That's adorable!

Oh Gilly, I miss you so.

by Vee

No, however my neighbours ginger cat keeps coming into my house spending quality time with me multiple times a day...does that count? Surely it does!

by Justine Crowley

No, I have never owned a pet.

But I have lived with a girl who had a gorgeous spoodle pup and a cheeky cat - safe to say I fell in love with the spoodle! It was like love at first sight. Too bad she had to move away :(

by Xarah

I've lived with dogs all my life. From a young age I helped dad bath the silky terriers and then found various breeds of RSPCA dogs for mum after her divorce. Although I looked after them, they weren't my dogs. I couldn't wait to get my own. My first dog acquired 10 1/2 years ago was a 7 year old Asian Silky Terrier called Beau. He was wise dog who taught Missie, a 6 month old white with grey spots cross Pappillion, Fox Terrier x? RSPCA dog all the manners and respect that he had learnt throughout his life. Sadly, a vet nurse tied him to a table leg whilst I was waiting to pick him up, and he choked and died in June 2013. I'm still not over it. I also acquired my late mother's Cross Red Cattle/Corgi also an RSPCA dog. However I hug and kiss my others but I really miss Beau.

by fifi.

fifi, I'm so sorry to hear that. It sounds like he was a wonderful dog.

I insisted that we never have a dog, but one day, the rest of my family went out and bought one. Now I wouldn't be without our loveable dog.

by dom a

Not at the moment. I have had a dog and a cat at different times. Cats are nice to have around but mine at least kept to herself a lot of the time. My dog was really a part of the family.

by Sarah Bell

I've never had a dog, but would love to get a little one for my son. Maybe when we get our own place. For now, the cat will do.

No we dont have any pets.

by Radhika

I have a miniature schnauzer called Nelson. Next to my husband, he's my best friend. I work from home, so we are each other's company all the time. He knows when I'm sad, and will dance around the living room with me when I'm excited. And when he's done something wrong he gets so guilty over it that I can tell he's been naughty even when I don't know what it is he's done yet.

That's him in the pic, wearing a bow tie I made him put on at Christmas. One day, when I own my own place, I hope to be able to be a foster carer for dogs that are waiting on new homes. I'll even get them their own bow ties, if they want it.

by Kerri

That's the cutest thing I've heard in a long time! Good on you.

Hehe thanks Vee! I might be a little lame and uncool, but I'm ok with that. :-)

Kerri, I believe the "lame" and "uncool" are the coolest of all. ;)

Get a BIG house Kerri - you don't sound the type to give a "foster" back. LOL. Nelson is pretty much proof that you would be like me and just keep everybody.

i love the animals but have never owned any of them.

by Radhika

Have always had dogs. Have two dogs Gizmo 12 silky/fox terrier , Cookie 9 mini foxy , cat Patches 3 , two baby mice Pepper n Pebbles and three gold fish. I love having pets and they do bring a lot of joy but also can be stressful. My cat attacks me for NO reason and my older dog stresses about EVERYTHING. but they are part of our family xo

by nessa

My cat use to attack me too. Out of the blue. I wonder why they do that. And you're right, that is totally stressful.

Nessa,
I have the same problem with my older dog -he just stresses at everything -coming in the back door, coming in the dog door, going out, me going out and heaps of others. Mine was always a bit neurotic and just got worse in old age.
but he saved my life once, so i love him to bits.

that's very sweet . i do love my pets , stressful or not . people are as well . i have started giving her a tablet to help calm her , it's used on small children but did ask my vet 1st. it does work , just takes a bit to kick in , it's not good for her heart stressing the way she does. if you love anything , you get the good n the not so good xo

yes Vee , very stressful at times , got told it's because his a male , trying to be boss plus we desexed him too late

Oh, I didn't realise you could de-sex them 'too late'. I suppose it's too late when cat puberty kicks in, yes?

yes Vee , lol . should of when he was 6 mths to a year . won't be getting another cat , to test it out thou !!

Cats can be such d!cks. Hahahahahahahaha.

Oh my gosh, Rice! I hate that word!

Yes, two dogs that are a part of our family.
Without them our home would be just a house!

by chris

No :( I so wish I could own one.I am looking for a place where I can leave my pet when I travel overseas to visit family.This is the only reason I am not able to have one.Not sure if there is a better idea for this.

by Sasha

Do you have any friends or neighbours who could pet-sit for you? Even if they went around to your place to feed them once or twice a day. My aunt and uncle do this, and as 'payment' they allow their pet-sitters to use their swimming pool when they are not home.

Hello Art.....
May I suggest you check with your Vet, or Pet place, or Cat Hospital. They may have reliable & recommended people you could use. Make sure those people have been 'checked', though!

We have a Shiatszu poodle. He is 7 year's old whom I love to bits. His name is Buddy. We have 2 little girl's also. He loves to be with us either leaning against us or on our laps. He is a sweetheart.

by leoni

I have two chickens and two ducks. They are wonderful and entertaining.

Unfortunately I have to rely on my partner for any affection though. These birds give me nothing!

by Matteo Lor

Hahaha. You're not alone there Matt. Our chickens aren't very 'affectionate' either!

no but would like to. grew up with pets but lived abroad for many years where we were always fearful of having a pet we could not bring back to Aus due to quarantine rules. Have thought about looking after a dog in training to be a blind person guide dog.

by annlu

The kitten in pic is a dead ringer for my 'Champers' when he was small....he has grown into a big butiful boy!! However, he too can be vicious towards me at times so was interested to read that in no way am I alone with this...I think it is just an inate impulse...I now have my spray bottle which he hates and this seems to have done the trick to a large extent.

by Fran

'Champers' is adorable!

I own a fighter fish.

by Dilara

I have a 10 year old dog and a 14 year old cat. I love both very much and they are important members of my family. Pets are great company and my pets encourage me to relax. My dog encourages me to go out for a walk.

by Marie Vonow

2 dogs, a cat, and six chooks. One of the people in my team at work has two pythons.

by kimp

I have two ginger cats and love them to bits!

by Lu Lu Belle

Two beautiful budgies, Veigar and Emmie.

by Valadhiel

Wow, since then I have added a Galah to my flock; her name is Alfie (long story)

Oh! Vee, 'Gilly' is soooo cute!
Currently, I've a SP Siamese, who came from a 'foster' home where the other animals' gave him a not so good time. He needed to be where there were NO other animals!

Over the last 12 months', he's become a beautiful, happy, healthy, well fed cat! He 'talks' to me constantly & seems to understand what I say to him, as he obeys.

He's a house cat only, & follows me around all the time! He just wants pats, cuddles, hugs & then some!
Lies on my lap watching TV! Every time I come near him, he starts purring! What a joy to hear!
He's a very good 'watch cat' too, letting out an unearthly 'yowl' if something's not right outside!
He's a great little companion & I'm SO pleased I have him! Miaow!

by donjo

Thanks donjo, unfortunately, the poor bugger ran off, and we haven't seen him since. You're cat sounds like just what I'd want in a cat. I love the affectionate ones! You're so lucky!

Oh! Vee, I'm sorry you don't have your pretty little fur ball anymore! No luck with RSPCA or Coucil Registers' finding him? Or Radio Station putting out a 'call'? He may just wander back one day, cats are mystic creatures!

Your words appreciated. How I got him was a 'real meant to be' situation. I was watching cat rescue videos' on my ITablet. This was a Weds. night. On Thurs. night I told my sister about them. She's an animal lover, too & feeds multiple native species' who come & sit on her back porch, waiting to be fed!
Anyhow, she phoned me on the Fri. lunchtime, all excited because a friend of her daughter's had a Siamese she had to find a home for. I'd had Siamese as a child, so knew their 'foibles'!
And the rest was in my original comment.

He came into my life at the perfect timing. We were two 'broken hearts' who really needed each other. We're BOTH happy, that's good. I've given a 'forever home' to a little cat who was very sad. He's not anymore! I voted him 'The Spoiltest Cat 2014'!
Cheers!

What a heart-warming story, donjo. Thanks for sharing. :-)

Oh lord, when have I not had pets?! I should be called Dr Doolittle. I think I would die without pets. I have had all kinds from axolotls to horses, birds, dogs, cats, cows and guinea pigs. I just bring everything home. Two dogs and a bird now until I get back onto acreage.

by Rice

No we don't have pets. When i was growing up, we had a lovely ginger cat called Orlando He eventually died with 4 large grey ticks. When we were on our own house, we had agreed cat called Smokey. Then we had a large grey rabbit, from my sister, who didn't need 2 rabbits.We named him Roger, after the kids movie that had just been released at the time.

by Miro

We've always had animals. Growing up we had a joey my brother rescued from its dead mother on the side of a road. Mum was great with animals and we kept Josie until she was big enough to give away to a family who had acres of land out Kenthurst way years ago. We also had an Indian duck mum nursed back to life and various chooks and birds. She even hand fed magpies who would attack others but not mum as they would sit on her handrail and call out to her, or tap on the screen door to let her know they wanted food. Ourlast dog, Beagle Bailey had to be put to sleep as she couldn't walk and had to drag herself along her stomach to the laundry door when she heard us there for hand feeding. It was just too cruel to see her suffer and we all howled, including grandchildren, on the way to the vets. No more dogs so far and it's been about 6 years since then and I'm still wanting another dog but my spoilt runt of the litter cat helps make up for the loss. She's quite timid and jumps and disappears at any sound and although she's around 8 years old she stays close to home as she'd been attacked over the years by other vicious cats even though she's desexed. Like the Seal Points, she's a good watchcat.

by helga

I have 2 dogs cockatiels and fish. My dogs are like children and I wouldn't be without them. Ive always been a dog lover. They give so much more back.

by nat_c

A house is not a home without a pet, it can be anything that you love and take care of.

by lmars

lmars, I'm going to be silly. If that is so, I must have two: my husband and my son. :-P

Yes, I have 3 dogs and 6 cats. They are all wonderful pets and their antics make me laugh at least once a day!

by jasp7

Yes a small dog named Oliver he is a cross Bichon Frieze x Shiatsu.
He is smart and obedient, very much a house dog, not a barker or yappy and great company.
Spoilt but well disciplined, food is his god!
Farley

by farle

Is that him, Farley?