My wife and I have 6 cats, and 2 dogs. All of them are rescues. They are much more than just pets to us, they are members of our family. And when they pass away, it hurts, and we grieve for a time, but we have good memories of them to carry with us through life. And then another critter in need of a good home shows up dirty and half starved. I'm a softy when it comes to critters.