Considering cats and dogs can live for tens of years, it's safe to assume they didn't wait until they were having hard times to buy the pet.

Perhaps they had adopted the pet before a completely unexpected event turned their lives upside down and out of their control?

when it's a question if my family eats vs the pet eats, there are only 2 possible answers:

1. sell/give the pet away

or

2. eat the pet

Time to chow down on Scruffles kids!