Owning a dog is a joy, a privilege, and a huge responsibility; in order to enjoy the animal's company, you need to take care of it. Every. Single. Day.
So when Reddit user SeaworthinessOwn9590's husband and kids started considering bringing a pup into their home, she made them prove that they were ready for the commitment.
The family had problems with it pretty much straight from the get-go, but instead of reevaluating their desires, they started blaming the woman.
This man really wanted to get a dog with his kids
Image credits: Lifeonwhite (not the actual photo)
But his wife asked them to show that they were ready for the responsibility that comes with it
Image credits: YuriArcursPeopleimages (not the actual photo)
Eventually, the grandparents also got involved
Image credits: IrynaKhabliuk (not the actual photo)
Image credits: SeaworthinessOwn9590
The goals that the woman had set out for her family sound achievable
Image credits: Andrew Schultz (not the actual photo)
According to experts at Dogtopia, the leading provider of dog daycare in North America, there are five signs that now is the right time for you to get a puppy:
People give up far too many dogs as it is
Image credits: Margarita Kosior (not the actual photo)
It's hard to blame the woman for what she did. There are already too many examples of owners giving up their pups. The ASPCA estimates that roughly 3.1 million dogs enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, around 710,000 are returned to their owners but 390,000 are euthanized.
According to the ASPCA's National Rehoming Survey, "pet problems" are the most common reason that forces owners give up their pet, accounting for 47% of rehomed dogs. (Pet problems were defined as problematic behaviors, aggressive behaviors, growing larger than expected, or health problems the owner couldn't handle.
It's better that a person puts more effort into determining if they're ready to own a pet before getting one than contributing to the heartbreaking statistics.
As the story went viral, the woman provided more info in the comments
People supported her and congratulated her on a difficult situation well-handled
Some shared that they used a similar test before getting a pet
