We hadn’t discussed getting a cat, or any other kind of pet, really. Our dog Tiki has been with us for the last 13 years, and in all that time we never considered having a second pet. But we took one look at Henry and just knew he was meant to be in our family.

We had a lot of questions. Would Tiki be willing to share a home and family he’d previously had all to himself? Would our daughters step up to the responsibility of having another pet? Would it be possible to keep my husband’s allergies at bay? Unsure of what we were getting ourselves into, we set out to bring our new pal home.

I’m happy to say the answer to all of our questions turned out to be yes. The experience of adopting Henry was a good reminder that sometimes life surprises you, and sends you things you didn’t know you were looking for. Sure, there’s a little more chaos in the house than there was before. But the sound of my girls’ laughter in the next room, as they play with their new friend, makes it more than worth it.

Has your family ever adopted a pet? How did it change your lives? Share your story with us in the comments!