for them there pet is their child, for you it isn't - we are all different, we all view our pets in a different way, for me I can't have children, physically can't and all I wanted to be was a mother, so my pets are like my children, just as important, but I know for other people, especially if they are able to have children, then their pets aren't as important, this I accept, but if someone told me that I was wrong to view my pet as less important as a child, this would really upset me, because this is the only way I can be a mother, which has always been important to me.