My ex was very much a "critter person". It was her that was keen on having cats - she had one and a box full of kittens when we met. I was a "keeper" it seemed when the kittens peed on me and I didn't freak out.
Cats were a big part of her identity (and also related to the pet name I called her). Cat themed decorating was and still is all over the house. We always had at least two and sometimes 3 cats. After a failed experiment with a lab cross dog (nobody looked after it and it terrorized the kids as a bouncy puppy) she did get a rescued Pomeranian that required less care. I had said that I was ok with a new family dog if it was small, short haired, non-barky and that I wouldn't have to do any of the pet care. Well - he was small.
I always did the bulk of the pet care, feeding and cleaning up after them, taking them to the vet etc including for the dog. The dog never got walked but never really had a lot of interest in walking. He liked laying in the sunshine and barking at people walking by.
Anyhoodles - I clearly remember her screaming at the pets after D-Day during in house separation that she never wanted to have any pets ever ever again and that after these were gone that we weren't getting any more. She threatened on more than one occasion (screaming) to kill them all. Mind you, she did that to the kids too. Ah - good times ... . I actually posted a thread on here about the LBP (left behind pets) - her puir wee dog really suffered with the stress and separation anxiety.
She did end up taking the dog with her and OM had a full sized poodle that used to be his deceased wife's from what I understand. Not sure what her opinion is about pets these days. Last I heard, her dog - who never got walked - is fatter, older and ill as of a couple of years ago. I would be surprised if he's still around. Nice dog - I didn't really care for him but we got along fine.
Sad.
Perhaps it's part of the package rejection of their past lives. I know that for DnJ that their dogs were a big part of his wife's life and she walked away from those without looking back.
On BD H52, W50 T27, M26 S21, D23 BD-9-Mar-16 D-15-Jan-18 Final-19-Apr-18 I am a storyteller. The story may do you no good. But a story is never for the listener. It is always for the one who tells
. I actually posted a thread on here about the LBP (left behind pets) - her puir wee dog really suffered with the stress and separation anxiety.