I kid, I kid ...

4 kids, 3 cats. I get 7 votes.

I truly don't deserve this wonderful pack of mine.

and highly subsidized school programs and I've never met a childfree individual complaining about property taxes going in that direction (I would give them hell if they did)... How about we help empty the shelters by enabling MORE not less average and low-income potential PET PARENTS to have a little break?

that asshole Vance, but I’m more and more in favor of sustaining animals over humans.

...which makes them that much more human (in the humanity sense).

I have a hard time trusting people who don't like pets (not non-pet owners, who could have a myriad of reasons why they can't have a pet), just people who don't have a heart for a pet.

One
My sister and her husband were childless because infertility issues. And they forged ahead by adopting four rescue dogs. And they loved them dearly. Didn't take vacations because they didn't want to take or board their woofies.

And they brought their dogs when they visited our folks in NJ from Long Island. My mother was not happy with the dogs. Just because. She barely tolerated them.

One day, our mother just burst out with, " (Sister's name), your dogs aren't your children!" And my sister didn't talk or communicate with our mother for more than four months due to the insensitive remark.

Two
Mom died, leaving us with our father. My sister had just adopted a new dog and brought the four dogs to our family home for Thanksgiving. And being helpful, she offered to walk our father's dog right before the meal. Unfortunately, the newly adopted dog got out of the house, got lost, and run over in the dark and the rain. My sister's scream was unholy. She carried the dead puppy inside where she, my brother-in-law, and myself were weeping. Our father was impervious to the tragedy. He summoned us to the table. We didn't move. And in desperate attempt to get us to stop fussing over the situation, Dad told my sister, "You have three more dogs . . . . " My sister and I caught each other's unbelieving gaze. Needless to say, Thanksgiving was canceled.

Some people just don't respect the affection we have for our pets. They are our sanity. They are the targets of unrestrained love.

loving relationship between mankind and their family animals.

and despair over their loss.

From Morgan Stanley:
Among spending categories, pet services such as animal health are expected to be the main driver of growth, more than doubling to $112 billion in 2030 from $48 billion in 2019 and outpacing growth in pet consumables, the largest spending category.
https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/pet-care-industry-outlook-2030

From The Pet Advocacy Network:
New data has been revealed showing that the pet sector contributed $260.5 billion directly and indirectly to the U.S. economy and accounted for a net contribution to the annual gross domestic product (GDP)

https://petadvocacy.org/newsroom/press-releases/economic-impact-of-american-pet-sector-grows-to-over-260-billion#:~:text=Coral%20Gables%2C%20Fla.,of%20%24174.67%20billion%20in%202021.

Taking care of 3 and it's like taking care of a 2 year old toddler. But it's worth it 😀

doxies. Do I get double the vote for double the trouble?

Note: honorary are disqualified.