Throughout my life, several pets have come and gone that have left a mark on me; some arrived because they were paid for, that is to say, purchased, while others came through involuntary adoption. 🤭😄 Let me explain. The dogs that were bought were my beloved Brando, a German Shepherd, purchased by my father as a gift for my younger brother, who was around 4 years old at the time. In reality, it was my father who wanted a dog, so that gift was more for him than for his son.  When Brando was no longer part of the family because ultimately he was adopted by someone else, years passed until it was me who bought Peluche, another male dog, a poodle breed, to give to my younger brother who had a fear of dogs due to a bad experience as a baby. Keep reading because the story changes in the end... Both dogs became part of my family, and both held a very special place. Over time, we learned that animals are not gifts, or should not be viewed as such unless it is in a figurative sense, because they should be treated with respect, love, and patience. Once we all matured, Duke arrived in our home, the most privileged of all, because his family considers and protects him in the face of any canine difficulty. 🤣.   Duke is adopted, but not from the streets. When we found out his mother was expecting, we were already waiting for him, so two months after his birth, we went to get him. Although I desire for him to live for many years, I have come to think that after Duke, my next dog will be from the streets, one that truly does not have a home to change its destiny in a positive way. I know that this will be more beneficial for me and my family, that action will fill our souls with happiness. If I had the resources to care for two pets, I would have already done so. I cannot criticize people who buy pets because at some point, I did it too, but I do criticize those who are solely dedicated to selling and do this for business, as their intention in having those animals is to make them reproduce in order to profit economically without any conscience, consideration, or love.  In another note, it is curious that, being an animal lover, I do not know any shelters in my city nor do I know how adoption is managed. That is a pending task to do. Personal Anecdote In the title, I mentioned "Adoption by Love or by Obligation," because I recalled an anecdote. Some animals force people to adopt them, 🤣 even if the person is not in need of company, they keep insisting. Do you understand me? Years ago when I was a teenager, a young stray cat followed me for several blocks until we reached home. He came in as if he lived there, made himself comfortable, and fell asleep. Since it was nighttime, my grandmother and mother said to leave him until the next day when he would surely go elsewhere, but that wasn't the case. He stayed until the day of his death after several years and became the adoration of my family.  To keep the story short, I'll leave you this link for more of this story: that adoption was an obligation that we adored making. Having pets in your life definitely makes you happier. This is my contribution for day 28 of the inLeo calendar ; the one for June is coming up. Thank you for your time. If you would like to leave me feedback or suggestions, see you in the comments.