50 Dads Who Said “No Pets” And Ended Up Becoming Total Softies

With a growing following of 324,000 members, the Dads Who Did Not Want Pets subreddit has become a haven of feel-good content. The description is straightforward: “A place to share photos of humans with the pets they didn’t originally want.” If you’re in the same boat, you will get a kick out of these. 

Just by looking at the photos, you will see how happy and seemingly content these dads have been since a beloved pet entered their lives. Having animals around is known to ease loneliness and boost uplifting hormones like oxytocin. 

According to experts like veterinarian Dr. Kwane Stewart, companion animals can also help ease PTSD symptoms that many homeless people suffer from.

Developmental scientist Dr. Megan Mueller agrees, stating that pets give a person a sense of purpose. 

“There’s the routine of caring for a pet and the responsibility of caring for another living creature that can really provide this driving force for getting out of bed in the morning,” Dr. Mueller told The Harvard Gazette in 2023.

A dog is referred to as “man’s best friend” for a good reason. According to Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, it’s likely due to their ability to communicate with humans. 

“Dogs, for example, excel at comprehending words and interpreting tone of voice, body language, and gestures, akin to a trusted friend who can gauge one's emotional state,” an excerpt from the article reads.

Experts from Psi Chi also noted that a profound emotional connection with pets is similar to human relationships, which, therefore, offers the same psychological benefits. These include decreased feelings of depression along with a boost in self-esteem. 

We also had quick chats with a few people who initially didn’t want pets but eventually fell in love with having a furry companion around the house. Even those who work closely with animals, like Danish-certified veterinarian Henning Ingeman, had their apprehensions about having a pet. 

As he told Bored Panda, his profession, which mainly involved dealing with animals, “put up a psychological wall.” 

“I imagined I might mix my professional way of doing things at home and forget about being too close to my pet because my line of work demands being objective when handling it,” he explained.

Ingeman eventually realized that his hesitance was a “mere figment of imagination.” After brushing off his fear, he got himself a Jack Russell, a decision that he says he does not regret. 

“Owning a Jack Russel has given me a deeper understanding of the importance of being overly empathetic when treating animals at work,” he explained.

For Climbing Kilimanjaro travel specialist Brian Raffio, the decision to not have pets was out of necessity, given the nature of his job. As someone who traveled a lot for work, he felt it deprived him of spending time with his pet, which defeated the entire purpose. But when he got a Labrador Retriever, everything changed. 

“Having this dog by my side, the one that is so lively and easygoing, made my hiking enjoyable. It pushed me to hike more and explore the magic of Mount Kilimanjaro even more intensely than ever before because it's energetic most of the time,” he said, adding that it made life more fulfilling for him.

For film producer Randy Charach, having a pet was an added responsibility outside of raising his four daughters, and it was something he wasn’t open to doing, at first. It wasn’t until after one of his girls brought home a Morkie they named Lyla that he changed his mind. 

“I didn’t expect to fall for her, but now I look forward to seeing Lyla just as much as she looks forward to seeing me,” he said. “She runs to greet me, and I can’t help but scoop her up. Now, Lyla fills my days with unexpected joy and companionship.” 

Smart Girl Stories president and executive director Neil Fennessey’s story is quite different. He got a pet horse. And after initially saying he’d never get one, spending time with the animal urged a change of heart. 

“I went up and fed her, did lead line work with her, and brushed her. We got along great. We had to let her lease go, but she was just a huge puppy dog,” Fennessey said of his experience.