The Shift From Pet To Family Member

The Shift From Pet To Family Member

Pets have gone from family service to family member.

The Shift From Pet to Family Member

The Changing Landscape of Pet Ownership in the United States

By Megan Wallin

Holiday Photos

Everyone knows that couple whose dog or cat is their “baby,” and to suggest otherwise might get you kicked to the curb—literally or figuratively. It used to be rare, or even laughable, to meet people like that, but now the family pet is just that: a true member of the family. We include them in our family photos, holiday cards, wedding celebrations, birth announcements and more. American pet owners spend an average of $1,480 per year on their dogs and a little over $900 on their cats, according to an article from Fortunly.com. To put that in perspective, some American parents—namely those who can forgo daycare and babysitters—actually spend less on their human children.

The Shift from Pet to Family Member

Perhaps it’s a demonstration of our shift from utilitarian view of pets to a relationship view. We now have behavioral specialists and animal psychologists for dogs. Professionals specially trained to seek out what could be causing Spot’s sudden loss of interest in his favorite toy or his penchant for nipping ankles whenever guests wear funny socks. (Well, maybe that’s not the exact purpose, but you get the idea.) The point is that we’ve expanded our view; from seeing animals as useful contributors to a system, such as the family guard dog or cat who functions as the barnyard mouser, to a loving, sharing, participant in family life. One look at most people’s social media accounts will tell you that pets are now bonified family members. We carefully interview potential pet sitters. We celebrate pet birthdays, and “gotcha” (adoption) days. There seems no awareness that some of our sentimentality might be displaced, because it doesn’t feel at all unnatural.

The view of pets in America has changed dramatically over the last fifty years.

Getting Back What We Give

People who own pets—specifically cats and dogs—will be the first to tell you about their pet’s unique quirks and proclivities, and to recognize changes in their emotional states. They’ll tell you that their dog has separation anxiety when they leave, and that their cat brings them dead birds as “presents” when they sense the owner is stressed out. Whether real or imagined, we notice a difference in the feeling of connectedness and interaction one receives from this unique interspecies arrangement. And it’s not entirely unwarranted. As the Gandhi quote goes: “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.”

Looking Outside Ourselves

It’s quite possible that this marks a privileged society, but also an empathetic one. We’re not blind to the suffering of our most vulnerable members; in fact, the past few years have shown that people are fed up with accepting homelessness, racism and inequality as “the norm.” Even in the midst of a pandemic, we’ve looked outside of ourselves to change the world around us. It’s no wonder then that that empathy extends to animals, especially those who share our homes.

The Dilemma

Unfortunately, there does seem to be a discrepancy between the empathy expressed and the actions taken to protect the vulnerable among us, be they two or four-legged. While shelters saw vast numbers of pets being adopted during the Covid-19 shutdowns, bewildered pet parents were soon returning their cats and dogs once the demands of life increased again. If judged within the measures of our modern pet-lens, which sees these furry friends as family members, that’s quite despicable. To say nothing of the pets who are abandoned or abused as a result of unprepared or neglectful individuals. On the other hand, it’s also difficult to reconcile the lavish amounts of money being spent on some pets while their middle class or affluent owners hesitate to donate to charities or volunteer at food banks for their fellow humans. There’s a whole lot of compassion and logic that seems to be falling through the cracks in the midst of a national pet obsession.

A Need to Reframe

As someone who finds it significantly easier to care about animals than people, even after working in nonprofits and mental health for years, it’s possible that there is a logical explanation for why so many share the same view. Many people, despite being given all the opportunities, tools and support for positive change, are still resistant. Conversely, most pets, when given the same training and resources, seem to thrive. Why? Part of it may lie in the complex nature of being human, or having a human brain rather than a canine brain. Another aspect of this may be the effects of chronic stress, drug use, social inequality within a severely unbalanced society, and the long-term effects of poverty on the human spirit.

Lessons Learned

In essence, it’s harder for humans to change their ways, to develop qualities that are “lovable,” than it is for a terrier who was formerly abused. And therein lies the rub. The most valuable lesson that we can learn from our pets is one that we need to apply to each other: clean up the messes, be patient, and don’t give up on someone when their bad habits aren’t immediately vanquished.

The Future of Pets Within the Home

It’s quite possible that pets will continue to hold their ranking in American homes. Currently, pet ownership is at 70 percent, up almost 15 percent from the late 1980s. And with remote work becoming more common as well, we can expect to see that continue to increase. However, there may be a caveat: housing and resources need to be available to people if they are to be responsible about pet ownership. Thus, learning how to treat our fellow man could be paramount to upholding our identity as a nation of pet-lovers.

 

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One Comment

  1. My dog and leopard gecko are family!

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