AIBU to think there's nothing wrong with me?

[blissey]

Namechanged in case IABU and people hate me!

When I was growing up, we always had dogs, but I never bothered much with them. I was once given some goldfish for my birthday, but I wasn't fussed. My aunt and uncle had horses - not interested. My cousin has a cute puppy, of which I like to see pictures, but I don't like it when they visit. My DH has got cats, but I don't care for them either.

I guess I'm just not a pet person, and I'm quite content with that. Apart from finding living with cats very annoying, but my DH loves them, so I respect that. I wouldn't ever hurt an animal, just ignore it and get on with my life.

However, if anyone asks me about this, or tries to get me to be enthusiastic about their pets, and they find out that I don't care, they recoil in horror and treat me as if I were some kind of mass murderer. They seem to think that in order to be a decent human being you have to dote on animals and find their every move cute and adorable.

AIBU to think that there's nothing wrong with me?

I'm hugely an animal person and would probably bore you to death! I think I prefer animals to people and babies leave me cold. However, while I can't understand why people don't love animals, as long as they do no harm to them, fair enough, and I wouldn't expect you to pat my dog.

I grew up surrounded by loads of pets and my main desire in life when 'grown up' was to have a cat. She is now almost 13, and tbh I am really done with the whole pet thing. I love my cat, and she is cherished and cared for and I know when she comes to the end I will be distraught but the idea of being pet free appeals to me. I still like animals, I just don't feel the same need to live with them, and find myself increasingly less keen on other people's pets as well.

I like children and pets. Obviously I'm very trustable.
Everyone is different. I love my dog so much he is always happy and makes me leave the house when my anxiety is bad and feel afraid. He has really helped me get better from the ptsd and anxiety. I'm not sure why he helps so much.

Quite normal. Love my cats to bits, but I don't mollycoddle them as much as other MNers seem to. Have little or no interest in other people's pets.

I think that no other people are as loopily sentimental about animals as the British, where many people say they love animals more than they love people! Really!?

I much prefer animals to people in some ways however I couldn't really care less if people like animals or not as long as they aren't cruel.

Saying that, as much as I love animals I do get annoyed by people who think I should love their pet as much as they do. I suppose it's like children, love my own...indifferent to everyone else's

I'm a strict vegetarian on ethical grounds and grew up around pets, working dogs and farm animals, but I get really impatient with the sugary 'furbaby' type sentimentalisation of animals.

YANBU. I don't get indoor pets They smell and make a mess. I love horses, though.

I agree with LEM.
I don't think anything of someone not being fussed about animals but I don't trust people who profess their dislike for animals and children.

They are usually people who cannot bear the competition for attention from a dog or a baby. This means they are hard work and usually pretty unpleasant to be around.

Mind you I have met some truly awful people who proclaim their deep love for animals. They seem to think that prefering animals over people gives them free rein to be rude to humans.

I can understand not wanting to have pets. They are hard work and messy. I have no idea why I can't be without my little gits.

No is an animal lover who eats meat.

I totally get people who are indifferent to other people's pets, and don't want any of their own. I feel like that about children! But what I don't get is people who actively don't like, say, dogs. Not liking your next door's dog, your mum's dog, makes sense to me for someone not to like an individual dog for whatever reason. But disliking all dogs (or whatever animal it is) is just weird to me, it's like someone saying they don't like all, erm, postmen, or Italians or something (no offence intended to any postmen, Italians or Italian postmen, they were just the first 2 things that popped into my head).

Yanbu I feel the exact same no interest in holding pets, petting dogs riding horses etc. Can admire them from afar but not keen on them being close. Even as a child I wasn't keen and never understood my siblings fascination with animals and constant begging for a pet. My kids love animals and i relented and got Guinea pigs and surprise surprise I'm the only one that feeds them cleans their hutch etc but I'm not keen on holding them.

I don't trust those that say they lurve animals so so much, then tuck into dead flesh.

Well, I'll probably get flamed now but though I LOVE my pets (cat and dog) I can take or leave (mostly leave) babies. As in, human babies (my own baby of course, was different - he was love at first sight ). Other people's babies? I have absolutely no idea what the fuss is about and have no need to coo at Oran's and trollies in the street. I can't walk past a lovely dog though, without saying "hello". Yanbu, OP. You're not an animal hater or cruel.....you just don't "do" pets

PRAMS and trollies!

YANBU OP. I don't really care for any animals either but the way some people react when I tell them this, you'd think I was advocating cruelty to animals!

I've also noticed that it seems to be more socially acceptable for done on to say they don't like children rather than for them to say that dislike animals.

They are usually people who cannot bear the competition for attention from a dog or a baby. This means they are hard work and usually pretty unpleasant to be around

What the fuck are you on about? Your extensive research on this is published where?

I don't trust people who profess their dislike for animals and children. They are usually people who cannot bear the competition for attention from a dog or a baby.

WTF?

Hah, snap Chuck!

Well I do love pets, but dont give money to animal charities when I donate, only to people charities.

It's fine, as long as you afford the same respect to people who don't like kids and have no interest in hearing about yours.

Yanbu, my dsis and I grew up with animals, I now have a house full and she has none, she tolerates mine and if anything happened to them i know she'd have empath for how I was feeling; but she's is totally indifferent to all pets (no phobias etc) she just doesn't get why anyone would want them

I don't really understand house animals. They require attention and care and don't give anything tangible back. Also, you don't know what they want as you can't communicate in the same language (I've not met a dog or cat who speaks human yet). Most people I know with them tell me I need one to make my life complete, but I just don't get it. Each to their own though.

I know plenty of people who aren't fussed about animals. You sound like someone who wouldn't go out and get a pet because of this, which is good. Much better that way than the many people who also aren't fussed on animals, get a bird and keep it locked in a little cage with 0 interaction 24 hours a day.
I'm not fussed on other people's kids but would never be rude or hurt them, I guess you could compare the 2