Do you care about the "abuse" of virtual pets ?

I refuse to buy Cats & Dogs because I can't stand the idea of a pet dying, or the animations for it. I've lost two cats over the course of my life and it traumatized me both times, especially with my mental health issues. It would just remind me constantly about that if I had pets in the game and just make me anxious and sad anytime I'd turn the game on. I use The Sims to escape, not remind me how cruel life is sometimes, especially for animals. I can appreciate the realism in the pack though.