FireTigeris.... Me too! Pets are great for kids! We've always had both! LOL
F&MM... true, there are circumstances where you may just HAVE to get rid of the pet.... but I know families that work w/the kids allergies and it often works out.
Another category of "former pet owners" are the ones that get pets for all the wrong reasons! I owned a Pet Store and I could have sold hundreds more animals but I didn't feel what they wanted was a good match for the person! I was one of the rare owners that would talk to my customers and find out if they were committed to having the type of pet they wanted. Just because your friends iguana is cool, doesn't mean it's the right pet for you!