# Poll: Is raising pets an acceptable alternative to raising kids? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 17, 2022, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-raising-pets-an-acceptable-alternative-to-raising-kids/957938 "2022-01-17T17:54:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2022, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-raising-pets-an-acceptable-alternative-to-raising-kids/957938/1 "2022-01-17T17:54:56Z")
Many people have a desire to, or feel a duty to, love or nurture something; I mean to develop a maternal or paternal relationship. For various reasons a couple may not want to have or adopt children (or, more children). Do you think raising pets is an acceptable alternative to raising kids, or to raising more kids, for the purpose of satisfying the need to nurture? _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-raising-pets-an-acceptable-alternative-to-raising-kids/957938/1))_ ~Max ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-raising-pets-an-acceptable-alternative-to-raising-kids/957938/2 "2022-01-17T21:03:58Z")
19 posts were merged into an existing topic: [Poll: Is raising pets an acceptable alternative to raising kids? (take two)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-raising-pets-an-acceptable-alternative-to-raising-kids-take-two/957949/7) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-raising-pets-an-acceptable-alternative-to-raising-kids/957938/21 "2022-01-17T21:01:26Z")