I believe that a dog may be considered man's best friend, but not man's equal. Upon reading this article I was taken back by the lengths people go to pamper their pets and show their love. As a pet owner myself I do believe that pets should be considered a member of the family, but I know for a fact my family does not dine on "pan seared duck with brown rice and blueberry compote" for dinner. I view a pet as something you can love and care for, but you do not need to pamper and elevate them to almost human status to let them know they are loved. Upon returning home for winter break, I noticed our dog was significantly rounder than he was when I left. Upon questioning my mother she explained that while my sister and I were at college he was "her baby" and she would share her breakfast and snacks with him and pamper him whenever he begged for attention. Although I am sure my dog enjoyed this treatment, I am certain that he would have been just fine if he ate his regular dog food and went on a daily walk without extra special treatment. Also while on break I have seen evidence of how lack of special treatment does not at all lead to unhappiness in pets. While visiting relatives up north I got the opportunity to meet the neighbors dog. This old yellow lab lived outside behind the house and was blind in one eye, but trotted up to meet me with it's tail wagging seeming happy as can be. It is not the monetary value that determines how much you love your pet, but rather just putting forth the effort to properly care for it. It is entirely possible to provide nutritious food meant for pets, as opposed to something that could be mistaken for a three course meal in a restaurant, water, exercise and basic veterinary care to keep them content. A pet remains loyal to whomever feeds and cares for it, and I strongly doubt they will love their owners less if they do not feed them a gourmet meal each night.
Ian Godin
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