For the Love of Pets I, 2015
My experience as a kid was the pets which made up our expansive family menagerie just came and went without too much fanfare. I don’t recall there being any ceremony around arrivals or departures. Perhaps that was just my dad’s efficient nature or maybe it was just the way of the times.
It seems back then, when your pets got a bit “bung” you didn’t necessarily think of the Vet Clinic as the first option. Ailments or symptoms like an exceedingly slow tortoise or a budgie that had a succession of quiet days would never have instigated a family outing to Dr Doo Little’s.
Things are a lot different today. There is no question that we treat our pets much better now. And rightfully so. There’s a global multibillion dollar industry as testimony to that. We now have an entire pet support ecosystem that didn’t exist when I was a kid. Mega super size pet stores, entire supermarket aisles dedicated to “Mr Fancy Cat” and pet therapists and animal behavioral clinicians.
It is just that now I am beginning to question myself. Who really OWNS our pets? And do we have the right to claim ownership over the animals that we call pets.
Hopefully this ongoing series might help me answer my questions.
For The Love of Pets.