Comment

No time, no commitment, so no pet

By Yang Xue (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-20 09:40

Several days ago, I read about a 7-year-old girl who was attacked by three dogs in a parking lot in the city and left seriously injured.

It's not clear why the dogs became so violent. But the incident reminded me of my childhood when I had to dodge monstrous barking dogs in my apartment building. Every time, no matter how quietly I tiptoed up the stairs, they would hear and bark like crazy.

I guess they were hoping I would set them free after they had been locked up all day in the house.

I understand people have to strive for success and have no time to attend to every single detail of their lives.

But I also think that pet owners who are too preoccupied with careers to take care of their pets should have thought twice before taking on such responsibilities.

Nowadays, dogs seem to have a harder time as they get raised in a cage in a small apartment.

On week days, they are let out only early in the morning and at night when their owners are not working. Isn't that cruel? We keep pets to get rid of loneliness, but we seem to give them enough bitterness of life to savor.

As more and more people, including young professionals, start keeping pets at home, there must be many more unhappy dogs all around us.

Taking care of a pet takes time and commitment. I once raised a rabbit myself. I picked fresh vegetables every day after school and carefully washed them before feeding my dear friend.

However, when I went to school, she suffered in the cage. Every day when I got back, she jumped up and down to tell me how hungry she was.

Finally, I could not bear to see her sad face any more so I gave her to someone who had time to do what I couldn't.

Dogs keep people company. They help our children become kind-hearted, and make our lives more colorful. So now I want to tell all busy pet owners - if you don't have time, then don't have a pet!