Pets

My entire childhood, up until I was eleven, was spent in one and a half year sections.

We'd spend one and half years here, then move to another continent, then back, then to another country then back, so on and so forth- and it was just completely illogical to get a pet. Also my parents hate them.

But I grew up without a cute little puppy being dependant on me, and I still learnt the values of reliability and stability.

I still understand love even if I've never slowdanced in the moonlight.

Sometimes though, I'll be walking around, and I'll see someone walking their dog, and I'll wonder really what is the draw to have a pet? I have friends with multiple budgies, fish, guinea pigs, cats, whatever, there's all multitude of animals being domesticated, but I honestly don't get why.

I can see the advantage if you're living alone, and you get a big ginormous dog- you're offered companionship and a feeling of safety. But what about families?

This is seriously a giant question mark here, I have absolutely zero idea what would prompt someone to go out and buy a cat.

The whole cat-concept is just like, a gillion times more sinister, after reading "The Risen Empire" where one of the most awesome characters, Nara Oxham, hates them because the Emperor makes everyone worship them because he defeated death and they're the animals of the underworld or something.

And their skulls are so small... It just freaks me out.

So, I can understand a giant dog if you're living alone. I also actually get aquariums. Fish have this seriously captivating effect, especially colourful ones. They're fun to stare at. And also with fish, you don't pay thousands of pounds for insurance because they're bound to contract conjunctivitis and about seven million other diseases that- if left untreated, will lead to their hugely depressing death.

Fish just die, and then you get a new one and move on. Fish rock. I don't have a fish, but after writing that I'm going to consider getting one.

It actually sometimes makes me angry to hear about people breeding dogs, because they don't breed them always to get nice fat strong ones, they make good looking weak, suffering dogs. Ones that can't survive well, ones with bad lungs, and bad hearts, and tiny legs. Ones that are just going to give someone something to stroke while they're watching tv and nothing else.

What is the point in a hamster?

They run around and look little and have anxiety attacks, and they frankly give me the heebie jeebies. Please, world, enlighten me.