The above findings present the benefits of the pet/owner relationship and reflect the thrust of the great majority of discussion throughout this study. Inevitably, however, there are cases where the relationship is not a success, for any one, or combination, of the factors detailed below. Interestingly enough, these factors are not necessarily enough to prevent (future) ownership, as negative perceptions are not always shared by all members of a household. The "failure" of one pet may also be a function of the stage-of-life cycle of a family, or the personality of a particular animal.
The inhibitors of a successful relationship, or disincentives to re-acquisition, are as follows.
They can stop one travelling, or at least add to the complications of it. They impose a daily routine of feeding and care which may not mesh easily with a busy lifestyle. In essence, they are a responsibility which not everyone takes on board easily.
"When our children left home we decided we wanted the freedom to travel, so, no more pets".
"A dog becomes a chore after a while. My mum does all the looking after our dog and we've had it for 15 years. She's done all the work all that time".
"I left my husband years ago, we had a dog and a cat so I tried to be fair and I took the cat because he never seemed to like it, but a few weeks later he rang my daughter and said 'I want the cat', but then later he rang and said 'Tell your mother to come and get the bloody cat', it was the responsibility!"
"The problem is when the children go they don't take them with them".
"I was so busy looking after babies and toddlers the dog was a nuisance, now I feel I'm ready to have another one".
"I'm not an animal lover. We have a cat but only because it was my mother's and she died. I have as little to do with it as possible".
"Once the kids are gone, no more pets, we want to be off".
"My mum uses them as an excuse now. She says she can't go away because of them but really she's a homebody and she likes being at home".
"We're lucky to have two families to look after it when we go away. It's a real tie otherwise. They have to be a good dog to interrupt your lifestyle".
"Birds are so much easier - stick a bell in their cage and they're happy for a week".
"My dream of selling the farm and moving into town is going out the window with all these animals".
The purchase price and food costs do not seem to be the major issues. Rather, it is the ongoing and unexpected maintenance costs. Vet fees are a prime concern:
"You've got to have nothing else to do with a poodle, and no mortgage".
"If anything more happens to our cat we're going to get it put down. We're not going to spend any more money on it".
"The problem with pets is they do cost a lot they used to have Medipet which helped"
"The hardest thing is finding the money to have a female cat desexed".
"It was going to cost $800 for our dog to have that spinal operation".
"Vets earn more than doctors".
Kennelling is another major cost, avoided in some instances by leaving the pets at home and relying on neighbours, friends or extended family to come in daily and feed them. Pets may also be boarded with other family members, with mixed success.
"I take mine to my mother-in-law's. She hates it, especially if it's raining".
"I went to feed your dog when you were away and he attacked me".
"The hardest part is when we go away. We tried the kennels but she wouldn't eat or drink"
And there is the general cost of maintenance products.
"Even if you buy them at Yagoona, it costs a lot - shampoo, flea stuff"
"When a cat puts its fur near me, I sneeze".
"One friend of ours is allergic to fur, we have to shut the animals up every time he visits".
"Our youngest is super allergic to cats, they bring on asthma".
in general terms, as well, the cute puppy turns into a large vandal or a snappy barker; expectations that the dog will "teach" children responsibility through caring for them, or that the children will do anything for them at all, prove unfounded.
"Dogs are really cool when they're puppies but when they grow up you have to walk them".
"If you don't want a dog, don't buy a puppy".
"Dogs are forever, not just for Christmas".
"It's terrible the way people cast pets aside when they're past the cute stage" "I've done it myself with stray kittens".
"That little ball of fluff is now a big ball of fluff and it barks a lot".
The distress caused by a loved pet's death can make one hesitate about replacing them, at least for the time being.
"When I lost my cat, Millie, I was heartbroken"
"That's the only trouble with animals, it's devastating when they die. You mourn them more than other people"
"I've had three cats, one got nicked, one got run over, one died of the cat flu. It's so upsetting and I thought that's it, I can't bear it anymore".
"You get too attached and then they go"
"It was so sad, we buried him in the back yard. It was just like someone in the family going".
"If they live a long time and you get really attached, you tend not to get another one".