I’ve seen parents blame a pet for turning on a child mistreating it. The kid may well be rotten brat, but the parent it the one who is doubly cruel. The way I see it, the parent enables the child’s cruelty. But, the parent cruelly neglects the social development of the child; that parent pushes that child into adulthood emotionally and socially crippled.

Pets can be the best source of model lessons in sharing and kindness, responsibility for others and for one’s self, group dynamic awareness and empathy, as well as loyalty and compassion. However, those lessons will never be learned if parents don’t teach them.