comparing pets to kids

[javero]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:25pm

Once again I had to be the arbiter between two bickering colleagues this morning when one suggested that the other was insane for suggesting that the livelihood of the latter's pet dog was somehow as important as the welfare of the former's infant daughter. There's so much that I could write here but for the sake of brevity I'll just point out that one is a 27-year married first time Mom and the other is a 48-year old never-married childless owner of a show dog so there's a lot of subtext here. I would like to ask y'all if you know of anyone who has what could be deemed an unhealthy attachment to a pet. I'm not referring to bestiality here.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:28pm

This from a poll of The New York Dog and The Hollywood Dog magazines:

"Oprah Winfrey was voted this year's World's Best Celebrity Dog Owner by the magazines' readers. The host, a champion of animal shelters, owns five dogs, supposedly each with their own nanny."

That might fit into unhealthy territory.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:28pm

It does bother me when people without kids thinking telling about their pooches' exploits are a fair trade. They're not the same and some parents can get insulted by the notion. I don't have kidds and realize that when friends talk about their kids, I should listen and react, rather than attempt to relate.

Anyway, that's my two cents on the issue :)

[peach]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:35pm

I appreciate that folks with kids love their kids, but to many (me included) pets are as much a part of the family as a parent, kid, sibling, etc. It's all relative to one's individual family situation. I would never deny a parent to be proud of kids, worry about their health, love them unconditionally. At the same time, I wouldn't deny that of a person who's primary companion is a kitten or a show dog.

It's all relative folks!

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:36pm

Actually, I can get equally offended at anyone who thinks I care about their kids or their dogs.

My kittens, however, are perfect darlings who love their daddys!!

[peach]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:39pm

^^^ Good point doodle - if a lady at work doesn't want to hear about me clipping my cat's nails, then I sure could care less about when little Isabelle pooped last at pre-school...
Updated On: 12/20/06 at 12:39 PM

[lildogs]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:42pm

I'm with you peach--OF COURSE a dog or cat or chinchilla isn't the SAME as a person, but a pet often fills in for a human counterpart, often to much greater success.

I'm not interested in child chat, but dog chat is always fun!

[peach]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:50pm

Exactly, lildogs. I enjoy pet chat. I know others don't so, I talk about my pets with other pet owners - we can relate. I actually don't mind kid chat either. It's when people assume that you are genuinely interested in their kid's (or their pet's to be fair) every move that it becomes irritating to others.

But no one can say one is "more important" than the other when comparing to someone else's dog, kid, kitten, teenager, etc.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:51pm

My dog is part of my split family. He lives with my ex and his current... but he's very much like a child... Now, before I get any comments, I recognize he is NOT a child. And by the way he's spoiled, it's probably best that I have no children because they would be total brats.

People who know me know about Walter. They know how important he is to me. The same way kids are important to my friends with kids. I have yet to meet anyone to get offended by my feeling this way, or equating my experience with theirs; that's the way I can relate. And interestingly enough, when I comment on something my dog did, my friends with kids will compare that to their own experience with their kids.

And quite frankly, if you have a problem with that, not sure I would consider you a friend anyway.

[TAFKASP]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:53pm

but if you could only save your 5 year old pet or someone's child, who would choose?

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:54pm

Not the point.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 12:55pm

Objects of our affection are exactly that, objects of OUR affections. Being a pet or child is of little consequence. I have known people who treat their children worse then someone else would treat their dog. Just as I have known people who treat their pets better then I have seen children treated. I really think the ability to bond with another life is the important thing.
I, as a childless dog owner treat my dogs as the very important parts of my family that they are. If people want to hear my stories fine, if they don't that's fine too. Just I would hope they would understand if I just can't get into Lil' Johnnie's wild potty training exploits.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:05pm

I'm with Kathy Griffin on this...

Children are selfish!

[MotorTink]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:05pm

I agree completely with everyone's statements so far. I do not have children yet so my cat is my child. I am responsible for it's well being and health, so why shouldn't I treat it like a child. At least it can't talk fresh to me! That doesn't mean I think my Pebbles is more important than someone elses child, but I believe the love and feelings can be the same.

[TAFKASP]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:06pm

DD, no harm was meant and I assure you no animals were hurt as a result of my post.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:33pm

my cat IS a member of the family. If I have to listen to some idiot run on and on about their little baby, then they damn well better listen when I talk about my cat.

[javero]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:35pm

Things are starting to heat up again between the two ladies here who are now firing salvos via e-mail. The new Mom wrote that she labored for 18 hours to deliver her daughter while the pet owner picked out a pup at a strip mall. It's gettin' ugly and I'm not in the mood to intervene AGAIN simply because I do think that the dog owner has ISSUES that she needs to resolve with the help of a psychiatrist sans Fido. There's a class element involved here too which I think mirrors what taking place in the country at large now. Both are friends and colleagues. The dog owner is a very established pre-menopausal single female attorney and Broadway frequenter while the other is a rumored not-so-happy new Mom who completed her undergrad degree requirements via night classes last year. The latter's husband is in jeopardy of losing his job as a contract computer programmer due to offshore outsourcing. I think both bring issues to the table that transcend the whole pet/child debate and the debate was a pretext for them to wage war against each other.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:37pm

I'd like to see that set to music!

[peach]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:44pm

Ah, javero! You did not mention they are a bit damaged, these ladies! The fact that they are going on in an e-mail war is kind of pathetic. Sounds like they need to just let it go already. One has a human kid. One has a canine kid. Both kids are loved by their parents (perhaps the most important, and forgotten thing in this argument!) Done and done.

Speaking of kid talk, there are ladies at my work who talk about their kids' food allergies and health problems constantly. One kid has issues with gluten (this conversation inevitably leads to discussion of poop) and can only eat pasta made with rice, another has a peanut allergy or intolerance of some sort, and the nerve of a classmate for bringing pb&j for lunch! On and on. On and on. On and on.

Updated On: 12/20/06 at 01:44 PM

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:47pm

"Things are starting to heat up again between the two ladies here who are now firing salvos via e-mail. The new Mom wrote that she labored for 18 hours to deliver her daughter while the pet owner picked out a pup at a strip mall."

How her labor and delivery is relevant, I do not understand.

If woman B had an adopted child instead of an adopted dog, would woman A's child still be more valuable just because she birthed the poor thing?

[javero]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:47pm

rotf @ what Peach wrote: "...one kid has issues with gluten (this conversation inevitably leads to discussion of poop)..."

Gotta admit that I've had it up to here too with the Poop Chronicles LOL.

Updated On: 12/20/06 at 01:47 PM

[peach]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:49pm

They talk openly about poop. All. the. time. Between little Isabelle pooping at pre-school and the kid with the gluten issues, I'm about ready to put a proud picture of my cat's litterbox on the fridge in the work kitchen!

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 1:55pm

At least cats go in a litter box from birth, practically!!

And the clean themselves...kids dont start cleaning themselves until they're 18 or so...pigs!

AND, I say that peanut allergies are God's way of thinning out the herd.

[Calvin]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 2:06pm

Are there really people who enjoy talking about their children's excrement to casual acquaintances?

I'm so glad I work with mostly single people!

[Elphaba]

Posted: 12/20/06 at 2:34pm

and DON'T even get me started about women who think they OWN the sidewalk just cause they're pushing a baby carriage.......