Pets in Society By Roger W Dean
It has long been recognized that increasing economic prosperity
A truism, nevertheless, but the fact remains that, nationally and
is closely related to an increased propensity to pet ownership.
comparatively, pet ownership is, at least in part, linked to economic
Economic development in countries ranging from Brazil to China
development. This is readily comprehensible. As individuals’
has been characterized by a rising trend in pet populations. But
disposable incomes increase, decisions can be taken about how that
what other factors may be at work? Are cultural differences
disposable element can be spent and one decision may be to acquire
important? And how significant are national peculiarities,
a dog. Researchers have suggested a number of reasons which
leading to different choices by countries with broadly similar
may underlie to decision to acquire a canine and these include the
cultural traditions? Roger Dean has been looking at the available,
fact that dogs are loyal and they help to keep their owners heathy via
if sometimes, sparse, data, particularly the established benefits
the provision of regular walks and a general attribution of improved
of keeping a dog or a cat.
health via the provision of regular exercise. Dogs are also regarded as giving their owners a sense of purpose and increased confidence
A valuable source of information, available in a convenient format,
and are regarded as potential sources of loyalty in a world where, for
is data collected by the specialist pet insurer PetSecure, a company
whatever reason, loyalty may be in short supply.
based in Australia.
Dog owners regard their animals, perhaps idealistically as,
Although we all hope that our pets will never need the services
according to one source, ‘loyal, protective, and always happy to see
of a pet veterinarian or other pet professional for anything other than
you’. The same source points out that the dog has been ‘a human
routine care, all responsible pet owners will naturally take steps to
companion for more than 18,000 years, making it one of the first
ensure that qualified help is swiftly available if the unwelcome need
domesticated animals in history’. The journal ‘Society and Animals’
arises. In order to defray the cost of treatment, there is widespread
reported in a recent study that scientists have proof that ‘dogs make
agreement with the view that it is wise to insure pets against illness
us laugh more than cats, keep us more active than the average
or injury and this is the business in which PetSecure is involved.
human companion, and even reduce our chances of depression.’
As to pets, what is an appropriate definition? Cats and dogs are
This remarkable conclusion was reached after a research project
immediately in the frame. Dogs, in particular can establish a close
asked people who owned dogs, cats, both, or neither to record how
relationship with their human keepers, especially if they are involved
often they laughed over the course of a day. Those who owned just
in a working partnership. Cats keep a more distant relationship but,
dogs and both dogs and cats recorded laughing more than the other
as all cat keepers know (the author avers that one does not own a
two groups.
cat) felines are also capable of establishing a bond with their human
The origin of today’s domesticated house dog may be traced
keeper. But what about other species? Most sources of pet statistics
back to between 19,000 and 32,000 years ago, when they evolved
increasingly tend to include birds and fish, a tendency that the author
from wolves. Wolves are known for living in packs which fosters the
would accept as regards the avian population but which he would
development of strong bonds between pack members and it is this
regard as questionable as regards the piscatorial one!
pack behaviour that makes today’s dogs so loyal. A researcher at
As regards dogs and cats, the data is readily available and
the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, has
usefully ranked in ‘top twenty’ format. This immediately raises the
explained that dogs see their human owners as ‘fellow members
question of the relationship between the pet population and its
of their pack’ and, therefore, form the same close bond with their
human counterpart. As regards the human and dog population in the
owners as they would once have done with their canine brothers
United States, in 2019 there was a total of 328,200,000 people, as
and sisters.
against 69,929,000 dogs, equivalent to 4.69 humans per dog. This
Dog owners, it is claimed, are ‘more social’ than non-dog owners.
suggests that the US cannot really be described as a nation of dog
In the UK, a team of scientists at the Universities of Liverpool and
lovers, albeit that it is the country with the single largest population
Bristol found that UK residents with dogs were more likely to encounter
of canines. What about dog species? The Labrador Retriever is still
other dogs and dog owners than people who did not own a dog. This
the most popular dog breed in the US, according to the American
makes sense, in that dog owners are more likely to head out of the
Kennel Club, occupying top spot for the twenty-ninth year in a row. The
house on walks and run into other dog owners on their own strolls.
German Shepherd is second, followed by the Golden Retriever. The
Proponents of the canine species also argue that dogs
English Foxhound is the least popular breed on the list, coming in
may even ‘protect us from poor health’ in that children born into
at 193 of 193.
households with a dog ‘have a lower risk of developing asthma and
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Pet Food Supplement 2020
