There are different ways of treating animals. With respect, distrust, distance. And for those we put in our homes, usually with boundless affection. There is no protocol to follow that reveals the right measure of love, yet numerous studies are beginning to show that unconditional goodness and turning pets into pseudo babies is not as healthy as we thought.
Popping over to TikTok among the most popular videos: dogs hugging babies, dogs talking to dogs, dogs talking to humans, dogs fresh from manicures, pedicures and teeth brushing. Accompanied by ironic refrains some of the content reads, "I'm a dog, I'm born a dog, I have a dog identity, but as my mom says, I'm a child first."
@goldenbearollie I just a baby 👶🏼 #goldenretriever #dogsoftiktok #puppiesoftiktok #ijustababy #cutedogs ♬ I was born a dog - Rott_n_chugs
According to the American Pet Products Association, about two-thirds of American households adopt or buy at least one pet, up from 56 percent in 1988. And Americans spent $136.8 billion on their pets in 2022, surpassing the $123.6 billion in 2021.
In Italy, then, the situation is akin. In the latest Coop - Nomisma survey, conducted in December 2023, 53 percent of Italians said they live with at least one pet. Pet owners in the peninsula spend €6.8 billion a year, including food (€4.3 billion, 64 percent of the total), veterinary visits (€1.3 billion, 20 percent of the total) and miscellaneous (€1.1 billion, 16 percent of the total).
If people want to invest their savings this way, where's the problem? "Today we view pets not only as family members, but as equivalent to children," said James Serpell, professor of Animal Ethics and Health at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. "The problem is that dogs and cats are not children, and owners have become increasingly protective and restrictive. So animals are not able to express their natures as freely as, well, they could."
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Pet health risks start with breeding farms. One of the fastest growing market segments, then, is pet confinement. That includes cages and indoor enclosures, as well as harnesses and electronic collars.
The modern pet paradox, in a nutshell: "Owners don't want dogs to act like dogs." Jessica Pierce, an American bioethicist, philosopher and writer, explained.
And despite their admission into more and more human spaces-restaurants, offices, stores, hotels, as well as more parks with dedicated dog areas-their increasing presence has not translated into greater independence. On the contrary. "Confinement and isolation, in turn, have generated increased separation anxiety and aggression in animals," Serpell pointed out.
The odd moment of obsession for dogs and cats, then, is not natural for us or for them. Let's put it this way: it's okay to have a dog for a friend. As long as friend doesn't become too much of a friend.
Illustration by Gloria Dozio - Acrimònia Studios
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