When I was younger there was always a reason why we couldn’t have a pet. First my parents said I was too irresponsible for one. I got a job and proved them wrong. Then they said pets were too expensive. I saved up all my money at that job and demonstrated my financial capacities. Then they finally settled on blaming the family allergies. At which point, I had no choice but to give up and resent my immune system. I never got to have a dog or a cat, and I felt like I missed out on a foundational experience as a young child. Luckily, that’s not a trend that I have to continue as a grown adult with my own HVAC system and home. These days, the inherent threat of pet dander hasn’t improved but the methods to manage it certainly have. There are a million ways to improve your indoor air quality and filter out airborne contaminants without spending a ton of money. This makes it possible to live happily and healthily in your home, even with a source of allergies running around. I can tell you this for certain, because I have been lucky enough to adopt two dogs and an upgraded heating and cooling system in the past few years. My heating and cooling setup isn’t quite traditional. It includes several HEPA air filters which remove over 99% of airborne contaminants. I have a media air purifier installed, which sterilizes and filters the air as it passes through the furnace or AC unit. And I have my two best friends, fluffy beasts who don’t bother my lungs one bit.
