--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Having an animal who relied on me made so…" description: "\"Having an animal who relied on me made so much difference. He gave me a reason to get my life together. I started looking after myself better in order ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/james-bowen-15666_animal_having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-s_3211247.jpg" --- # Having an animal who relied on me made so much difference… ![“Having an animal who relied on me made so much difference. He gave me a reason to get my life together. I started looking after myself better in order to look after him.” quote by James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/james-bowen-15666_animal_having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-s_3211247.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/james-bowen-15666_animal_having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-s_3211247.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/james-bowen-15666_animal_having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-s_3211247.jpg) > “Having an animal who relied on me made so much difference. He gave me a reason to get my life together. I started looking after myself better in order to look after him.” [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Caring for a pet motivated personal responsibility and self‑care, leading to life improvement. **In simple terms:** Pet care inspired self‑improvement. Key Takeaway Let responsibility to others inspire personal growth. Themes compassion responsibility self‑care growth Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - mental health recovery - habit formation - caregiving - personal transformation Key Concepts human‑animal bond psychological motivation behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - How can one find similar motivation without a pet? - What other responsibilities can spark self‑improvement? A Different Perspective May not apply to those without pets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animal Relied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal-relied-5999888/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Difference Gave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-gave-1647955/) [Having Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-animal-1672310/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-together/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Relied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relied-874343/) [Relied Difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relied-difference-5999889/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) ## Related quotes > [The difference between me and you is, I never gave up on you, the way you gave up on me. I was always here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/the-difference-between-me-and-you-is-i-never-gave-up-on-you-the-way/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [I think having an animal in your life makes you a better human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-ray/i-think-having-an-animal-in-your-life-makes-you-a-better-human/) [Rachael Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-ray/) > [The first thing I do each morning is get out of bed and give my dog, Audrey, a hug. She's a Jack Russell. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/the-first-thing-i-do-each-morning-is-get-out-of-bed-and-give-my-dog/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [Having an animal that you fix, knowing that you saved its life or you saved a pet - Like on a dog, these little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-yoho/having-an-animal-that-you-fix-knowing-that-you-saved-its-life-or-you/) [Ted Yoho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-yoho/) > [I never relied on my beauty for anything. It was one of those things that was inevitable; you have a bit of philosophy about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-rigg/i-never-relied-on-my-beauty-for-anything-it-was-one-of-those-things/) [Diana Rigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-rigg/) > [“The only thing that can be relied on is change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-only-thing-that-can-be-relied-on-is-change/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I have found that hollow, which even I had relied on for solid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-found-that-hollow-which-even-i-had-relied-on-for-solid/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [...in some ways I relied on that- someone to keep me thinking, keep me striving to do better, keep me from burying my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/in-some-ways-i-relied-on-that-someone-to-keep-me-thinking-keep-me/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [I liked it when people relied on me... because then I knew I had something different to offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zico/i-liked-it-when-people-relied-on-me-because-then-i-knew-i-had/) [Zico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zico/) > [I want to be a guy who can be relied upon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-lidge/i-want-to-be-a-guy-who-can-be-relied-upon/) [Brad Lidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-lidge/) > [“The people you’ve always relied on, the ones you always believed would be there no matter what, may suddenly seem unavailable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-black/the-people-you-ve-always-relied-on-the-ones-you-always-believed-would/) [Peter Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-black/) > [“You were right when you said I was holding onto April's apron strings even though she was trying to cut them. I've spent so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sinclair/you-were-right-when-you-said-i-was-holding-onto-april-s-apron-strings/) [Nicola Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sinclair/) > [I've never been super close to family. I've never relied on anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulisa/i-ve-never-been-super-close-to-family-i-ve-never-relied-on-anyone/) [Tulisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulisa/) > [“This mountain of a man was learning that his considerable might- which he'd clearly relied on for everything - was futile with her. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/this-mountain-of-a-man-was-learning-that-his-considerable-might-which/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I always had a strong faith, and I always relied on God for a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lachanze/i-always-had-a-strong-faith-and-i-always-relied-on-god-for-a-lot/) [LaChanze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lachanze/) ## More by James Bowen > [Some people think you've chosen to sleep on the street. People don't choose to lose their jobs or suffer from mental health problems. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/some-people-think-you-ve-chosen-to-sleep-on-the-street-people-don-t/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [“warming tale with a message of hope’ Daily Mail ‘An instantly bestselling memoir that, beside its heart-warming tale of their friendship, offers an insight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/warming-tale-with-a-message-of-hope-daily-mail-an-instantly/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [It's amazing to be able to give back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/it-s-amazing-to-be-able-to-give-back/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [Nobody chooses to become homeless, but sometimes there are definitely those who become complacent in their homelessness, which is tragic in a way, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/nobody-chooses-to-become-homeless-but-sometimes-there-are-definitely/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [I had to change schools constantly, which meant I was never really stable. I was bullied a lot, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/i-had-to-change-schools-constantly-which-meant-i-was-never-really/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [“Old habits die hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/old-habits-die-hard/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [I can't move five feet without somebody wanting a photograph or an autograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/i-can-t-move-five-feet-without-somebody-wanting-a-photograph-or-an/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [I felt no one really understood me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/i-felt-no-one-really-understood-me/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [Cats think for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/cats-think-for-themselves/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [Animals are great for calming the spirit when you're stressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/animals-are-great-for-calming-the-spirit-when-you-re-stressed/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [I ended up homeless in London at 19.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/i-ended-up-homeless-in-london-at-19/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [When you're on the streets you don't have anything to live for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/when-you-re-on-the-streets-you-don-t-have-anything-to-live-for/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [I believe everybody is in control of their own destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/i-believe-everybody-is-in-control-of-their-own-destiny/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [Always look on the bright side of life. You never know what is around the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/always-look-on-the-bright-side-of-life-you-never-know-what-is-around/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [When I was boy, all I ever wanted to be was a musician. I'm so grateful I get to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/when-i-was-boy-all-i-ever-wanted-to-be-was-a-musician-i-m-so-grateful/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) [Explore all 41 James Bowen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) ## 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": "Having an animal who relied on me made so much difference. He gave me a reason to get my life together. I started looking after myself better in order to look after him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Bowen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-so-much-difference-he-gave-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-so-much-difference-he-gave-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/james-bowen-15666_animal_having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-s_3211247.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/james-bowen-15666_animal_having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-s_3211247.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/james-bowen-15666_animal_having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-s_3211247.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Having an animal who relied on me made so much difference. He gave me a reason to get my life together. I…” — James Bowen", "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": "James Bowen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Having an animal who relied on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-so-much-difference-he-gave-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/having-an-animal-who-relied-on-me-made-so-much-difference-he-gave-me/#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 } } ] } ```