For the most part, childbearing is declining due to fears that overpopulation will cause economic and environmental distress. As a consequence, people are turning to pets as a substitute for children. But pets cannot replace the benefits of children.

Horses and ponies, chickens, ducks, geese and other animals enriched my childhood. I had a pet squirrel, goat, and even a coatimundi. My family always had pet dogs, cats and numerous litters of kittens. Such was life growing up with great grandfather, grandmother, mom, and dad. I spent considerable time playing outdoors in the woodlands and wetlands, bringing home snakes and other little creatures that lived there. My great-grandfather’s home was large with plenty of space for dogs and cats to have shelter inside and a lot of land for them to roam freely outside.

That experience imbued me with respect and affection for animals. It taught me …

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