I had to take care of the mini zoo my hoarder mother accumulated all my life, so I am used to “force myself” to properly care for animals that I am responsible for. That being said, this takes a huge toll on your own wellbeing after a while, like driving on flat tires eventually permanently damages the rest of the car. It is something that should not be the everyday norm.

I currently only have one 13 years old tomcat that gets my undivided attention, and while I would love to have a dog again one day, I also know that it would eventually lead to the same “flat tyre driving” and wear me out while neither pet gets the attention and care they need and deserve. I swore to myself that I will only ever have one pet at a time for the rest of my life.

…and I fully agree with what others have said already about dogsitting for friends / family, taking shelter dogs for walks and the like. The animals are taken care of in terms of food, medicine, shelter etc. so you won’t have to worry about not having the energy for that, but they can always use a little extra attention from a loving human that just spends time with them.