Pets Keepers Guide Forums

So in my time roaming around the internet I have come across a few different articles about why people keep pets, and why so many end up in the shelter after a year or so.
I know about rabbits and ducks around Easter, Parents get them when they are babies for their kids because they are cute, then they grow up and they end up being more work than the parents anticipated and how it's the same as with dogs or cats. But, I never really thought about the reason they got the dog or cat in the first place, aside from the obvious one, the kids wanted it.

But I never really thought about the fact that some people get them and specific breeds for status, financially, I guess and(as one article said) How much 'lifestyle value' they add to the house. Have you thought about this? What are your thoughts about this?

Overall I guess I should have thought about it already, being that so many people carry tiny chihuahuas in their little bags as a fashion accessory..

Now that you mention it, it does seem like a pretty obvious reason why a lot of people get pets. I noticed that, for example, a lot of people who live in houses have dogs and don't seem to take very good care of them. They keep them on a chain and feed them only table scraps. They reason seem to be that "a yard looks empty without a dog" (I've heard this from people in person enough times to make me really sad). It's normal to see a man walking a "dangerous" breed of dog, especially if he's younger. The female version are the so-called toy breeds. Of course, some of those people really do love and care for their pets, but it seems like it's a lifestyle statement a lot of the time. I notice that some dogs in the city spend a lot of their lives locked out on apartment balcony's, especially the nights. And I see toy breeds, especially poodles, with shaved fur even in the winter! It would be really nice if there was some control over who gets to keep a pet.

It really would be nice if there was some sort of control, maybe even a one time little class at the least. Maybe just a hour
long giving the in's and out's of pet care, nutrition and exercise. What's bad for your pets and etc. But somehow I don't really
think that will work since half of it is common sense anyways. Unfortunately, I guess there's just not much we can do.
At least they have a home instead of being at the shelter.. But even then, that's not always much better than the shelter.