It's tough because our pet's lifespans are typically so much shorter than ours, we we likely endure the tragedy of their death. That being said, pets enrich our lives in ways that no other things do. What I like about this is that you're taking the time to weigh all the factors of pet ownership so that you can make an informed decision if you decide to one day get a pet. I worked at a Petco for 5 years when I was in college, and I saw so many people make awful, spur of the moment per purchases they later came to regret. I'm glad to see at least one person is giving the matter some critical forethought. Thanks for posting!