Re: Stupid parents that keep pets
Its a terrible thing to say to just "get rid of the pet." Pets, at least to many western families, become like family members. I very clearly recall crying when my dog died when I was little, and my siblings being very upset as well. Pets teach a good many life lessons- such as love and responsibility and the "way of life" (what better way to teach a child about death then when a goldfish dies?) There are also far too many people who "get rid of their animals" as it is, and this has only contributed to the overcrowding of animal shelters and the being "put down" of many, many animals who would have made excellent pets if they had been given the opportunity (and who knows, maybe they actually would have SAVED a baby! As often as you hear about kids being mauled, you also hear miraculous stories of that nature).
I'm not particularly worried about allergens or diseases. EVERYTHING now-a-days has been shown to contribute to some sort of problem. Heck, BREATHING in our dirty air is bad for you and will give you asthma/allergies/etc. Just follow good guidelines when you keep your pets: keep the cats inside at all times, don't let the dogs run rampant, get everybody to the vet for regular check-ups/immunizations/etc and ensure that they are properly trained (and that your kids are properly trained, for that matter).