--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot imagine not going home to…" description: "\"I cannot imagine not going home to animals. They are the closest thing to God; they don't harbor resentment. I wanted to be a vet when I grew up.\" — El..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-anima_759147.jpg" --- # I cannot imagine not going home to animals. They are the… ![“I cannot imagine not going home to animals. They are the closest thing to God; they don't harbor resentment. I wanted to be a vet when I grew up.” quote by Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-anima_759147.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-anima_759147.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-anima_759147.jpg) > “I cannot imagine not going home to animals. They are the closest thing to God; they don't harbor resentment. I wanted to be a vet when I grew up.” [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels deep connection to animals, seeing them as pure and resentful‑free, inspiring a veterinary dream. **In simple terms:** Animals are pure, resent‑free companions. Key Takeaway Consider caring for animals. Themes animals compassion spirituality Mood warm inspirational Type personal motivational When to use this quote - volunteering at shelters - career in veterinary medicine - pet adoption Key Concepts human‑animal bond ethical care Questions to Reflect On - How do animals teach us about forgiveness? - What steps can you take toward veterinary work? A Different Perspective May romanticize animal behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Animals Closest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals-closest-5057291/) [Going home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-home/) [Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) [Grew up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew-up/) [Harbors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harbors/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-animals-2472649/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Pet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pet/) [Resentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentment/) [Vet Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vet-grew-5890522/) [Vets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vets/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [I cannot imagine not going home to animals. They are the closest thing to God. They don't harbour resentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-animals-they-are-the-closest-thing/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I grew up in a home where animals were ever-present and often dominated our lives. There were always horses, dogs, and cats, as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/i-grew-up-in-a-home-where-animals-were-ever-present-and-often-2/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [I couldn't imagine a home without animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-burton/i-couldn-t-imagine-a-home-without-animals/) [Amanda Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-burton/) > [What makes a home home? Animals, and a little bit of clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/what-makes-a-home-home-animals-and-a-little-bit-of-clutter/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [ I think the hard thing about this job \[stand-up\] I mean, I think this part is great but that the traveling is y'know, 'cause… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-the-hard-thing-about-this-job-stand-up-i-mean-i-think-this/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Sometimes I had the feeling that all of us in his family were like pets to him. The dog you take for a walk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/sometimes-i-had-the-feeling-that-all-of-us-in-his-family-were-like/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [I could not believe that anyone who has read this book would be so foolish as to proclaim that the Bible in every literal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-could-not-believe-that-anyone-who-has-read-this-book-would-be-so/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I had the privilege and the honor of chairing the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. And it is interesting to me, you know, Republicans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-had-the-privilege-and-the-honor-of-chairing-the-senate-committee-on/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I was taking my dog out the other day and I met this chap who asked me where I was going. The dog is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chic-murray/i-was-taking-my-dog-out-the-other-day-and-i-met-this-chap-who-asked/) [Chic Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chic-murray/) > [I have vets like Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner, Mark Madsen, and Michael Doleac who keep me motivated to want to get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-green/i-have-vets-like-antoine-walker-greg-buckner-mark-madsen-and-michael/) [Gerald Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-green/) > [My plan is to bring back like the Bracero Program from 1944 that ran for 20 years where the Mexican government vets these people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/my-plan-is-to-bring-back-like-the-bracero-program-from-1944-that-ran/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [Vets are different than other people. Frontline or support, they carry themselves differently than the rest of us. It is as if they entered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-tumlinson/vets-are-different-than-other-people-frontline-or-support-they-carry/) [Rick Tumlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-tumlinson/) > [I don't feel any sense of competition at all, and that might be my naïveté, but I don't feel pitted against anyone at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-don-t-feel-any-sense-of-competition-at-all-and-that-might-be-my-na/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [I play because I have fun. The vets of this team, I just wanted to say thanks to them. You guys mean so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/i-play-because-i-have-fun-the-vets-of-this-team-i-just-wanted-to-say/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) > [Don't forget our vets. They have been forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/don-t-forget-our-vets-they-have-been-forgotten/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by Ellen DeGeneres > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I think what saved me is me being honest. I think I somewhow had the courage to do something and say something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-what-saved-me-is-me-being-honest-i-think-i-somewhow-had-the/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I think there's too much mult-tasking going on. I think people need to quiet down and focus and be still more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-there-s-too-much-mult-tasking-going-on-i-think-people-need-to/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [We can sit and worry about what's going to happen to us two weeks from now. I'd rather focus on the amazing things happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/we-can-sit-and-worry-about-what-s-going-to-happen-to-us-two-weeks/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [It's our challenges and obstacles that give us layers of depth and make us interesting. Are they fun when they happen? No. But they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/it-s-our-challenges-and-obstacles-that-give-us-layers-of-depth-and/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I had done a sitcom and a movie and hosted the Emmys, and all of a sudden, I lost everything. As someone put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-had-done-a-sitcom-and-a-movie-and-hosted-the-emmys-and-all-of-a/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [The thing everyone should realize is that the key to happiness is being happy for yourself and yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/the-thing-everyone-should-realize-is-that-the-key-to-happiness-is/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Save a life this Thanksgiving, and join me in starting a new tradition by adopting a turkey instead of eating one through Farm Sanctuary's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/save-a-life-this-thanksgiving-and-join-me-in-starting-a-new-tradition/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: Yes. Yes. No. One time in high school. Three times in my twenties. Rocks no salt. Yes. Four. Never.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/answers-to-frequently-asked-questions-yes-yes-no-one-time-in-high/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Actually this is really funny - one time she accidentally forgot to leave a note and I had no idea she had even moved.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/actually-this-is-really-funny-one-time-she-accidentally-forgot-to/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [A circus! 100 clowns of injustice have climbed out of the tiny clown car of this court room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/a-circus-100-clowns-of-injustice-have-climbed-out-of-the-tiny-clown/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Gratitude is looking on the brighter side of the life, even if it means hurting your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/gratitude-is-looking-on-the-brighter-side-of-the-life-even-if-it/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [What's New Orleans without music? And what's music without dancing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/what-s-new-orleans-without-music-and-what-s-music-without-dancing/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [The legend goes that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. I was thinking... that must be hard to put all the tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/the-legend-goes-that-st-patrick-drove-the-snakes-out-of-ireland-i-was/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Quick decision makers are often stuck behind annoying people in line at Starbucks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/quick-decision-makers-are-often-stuck-behind-annoying-people-in-line/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) [Explore all 450 Ellen DeGeneres quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I cannot imagine not going home to animals. They are the closest thing to God; they don't harbor resentment. I wanted to be a vet when I grew up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ellen DeGeneres" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-animals-they-are-the-closest-thing-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-animals-they-are-the-closest-thing-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-anima_759147.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-anima_759147.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-anima_759147.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I cannot imagine not going home to animals. They are the closest thing to God; they don't harbor resentment…” — Ellen DeGeneres", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ellen DeGeneres", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I cannot imagine not going home...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-animals-they-are-the-closest-thing-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-cannot-imagine-not-going-home-to-animals-they-are-the-closest-thing-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```