Plan Now For Your Christmas Pet Present
According to reporter Shana Rose, a little over half of all pet owners will be putting a gift for the cat or dog under the tree. A majority of pet owners, 53%, said in an Associated Press-Petside.com poll that they plan to get their animals a gift this holiday season.
Whether you buy your pet a Christmas present depends on if it's a cat or a dog, and on if you're a man or a woman.
Dogs (56%) are more likely than cats (48%) to receive a gift. The poll also showed that women (56%) are somewhat more likely than men (49%) to buy their animals a gift.
You can read more here.
Do not be the only pet owner on your block to have an unhappy pet on Christmas day.
Baby Boomers State That Pet Care Is A Basic Need
How important are pets to baby boomers?
Well, according to a recent survey by MainStay Investments, fifty-one percent of all baby boomers said that Pet Care was a basic need for them.
Pets followed the need for Internet access and birthday shopping as necessities cited by the interviewed adults; aged 45 to 65.
Many boomers stated that they were willing to continue working and push back their retirement dates to maintain their current lifestyles.
See more on the survey at www.seniorrealestate.com.
In addition, keep on working and providing for your pets.
What Is The Value Of A Pet?
Many pet owners, veterinarians, attorneys and other professionals have tried to describe the relationship and bond between an animal owner and their pets.
Despite the many attempts, I believe a paragraph that was written almost 20 years ago is still one of the best explanations that I have ever seen or heard.
California Supreme Court Justice Arabian wrote the following, in his dissenting opinion in Nahrstedt v. Lakeside Village Condominium Ass’n., 8 Cal. 4th 361, 390 (1994):
"The value of pets in daily life is a matter of common knowledge and understanding as well as extensive documentation. People of all ages, but particularly the elderly and the young, enjoy their companionship. Those who suffer from serious disease or injury and are confined to their home or bed experience a therapeutic, even spiritual, benefit from their presence. Animals provide comfort at the death of a family member or dear friend, and for the lonely can offer a reason for living when life seems to have lost its meaning… Single adults may find certain pets can afford a feeling of security. Families benefit from the experience of sharing that having a pet encourages."
That description essentially covers many phases and aspects of life.
Sounds good to me.
Do you have a better one to offer?
How Do Other Nations Citizens Treat Their Pets?
Do other countries treat their pets the same as we do in the United States?
Betty Lou Lakeland, Florida
Well, Betty Lou, here is one example that is over twenty years old:
In 1987, The member States of the Council of Europe, entered into the European Convention for the Protection Of Pet Animals.
It defined a “pet animal” as any animal kept or intended to be kept by man, in particular in his household, for private enjoyment and companionship.
Under the Agreement, the principles of “Keeping” an animal include:
1. Any person who keeps a pet animal or who has agreed to look after it shall be responsible for its health and welfare.
2. Any person who is keeping a pet animal or who is looking after it shall provide accommodation, care and attention which take account of the ethological needs of the animal in accordance with its species and breed, in particular:
(a) give it suitable and sufficient food and water;
(b) provide it with adequate opportunities for exercise;
(c) take all reasonable measures to prevent its escape;
3. An animal shall not be kept as a pet animal if:
(a) the conditions of paragraph 2 above are not met or if,
(b) in spite of these conditions being met, the animal cannot adapt itself to captivity.
The entire text can be read here.
Some interesting issues and guidelines are presented in this document.
Nothing is too good for your Pet
For those non believers, who think that pet owners spend way too much time, energy and money on their friendly companions…for food, veterinary bills, toys, beds, clothing, studded collars, licenses, implanted identification, pet insurance, estate planning…a growing number of pet owners are turning to custom-built wheelchairs to restore mobility to their furry friends whose legs, hips or backs don't work.
The owners' goals are simple: to reward their pets' unconditional love with whatever it takes for the animals to live normally. www.washingtonpost.com.
According to this article in the Washington Post, the first pet wheelchairs were developed in the late 1980’s and can cost between $250 and $500 each.
Nothing, it seems, is too good for family pets.
