I think people think that you're supposed to have puppies and kitties - it's the "thing" to do. 2.5 kids, a dog, a cat, white picket fence, etc. People are too focused on that to even hear anyone who's trying to tell them that it's actually a lot of hard work to have and maintain a really nice pet. It was very frustrating for us trying to adopt a puppy because a lot of shelters just flat out rejected us due to my kids ages - especially my 2 year old. I was shocked when we were turned down for puppy adoption! Having Kai now, I can see their concern. Kai's first day home she chomped my son's hand a couple times, drawing blood and leaving bruises. I guess that is their concnern - too many people would high-tail it back to the shelter and say "this just isn't working out - look at my kid's hand". Turns out, though, that Kai has been easy to redirect and she is so responsive when I say "down" and "no teeth". She has been a ton better with my little one. It's EASY if you stick with it and are committed. That's the problem - people aren't committed.