My daughter is 30 and is a single mum to a 9 year old boy. She is currently undertaking her masters degree and she works around 10 hours per week. However, she is in a very small house. A living room, kitchen, bathroom, two small bedrooms and a box room and porch. Her garden is average. However she has 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a hamster as well as her and her daughter.
To be fair her dogs are small breeds but she is now talking about getting a third dog. Her dad (my ex husband) is well off and he pays for the dogs insurance and their food each month. He agreed to this as she asked and asked and asked. She convinced him that while she was a student that getting dogs would be best over summer whilst she had the time off (bar working). He agreed as long as she takes over once working. She is doing a vocational course so this is likely.
The animals are well cared for and walked etc/ the cats are outside cats and they aren't left along for huge periods of time. She does love them and speaks about them as if they are her other children, lots of pics sent etc. But I think 5 animals in such a small space is bad enough without adding a fifth animal into the mix.
It's honestly as if she is trying to replace something in life she doesn't have through animals. Is there anyway to stop this and is this cruel to have that many animals in a small space? Her house must stink (I do visit often).