Pets over people?

Are pets getting more love in families than children?

Written by Mia Laskey

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​Written by Mia Laskey 
 
In the last 10 years it is becoming more common for parents to value their own pets over their own children. You might ask, why? What does a pet have that a child doesn't?
From a recent survey, here were some of the answers, “Owning a pet, brings love to our lives. Pets give us unconditional love, loyalty, friendship, curiosity, humour, and a bond that we can't get from another human.”
And, “they don't judge us. 15 years ago, my husband, brought me a beautiful kitten and Labrador. They were like our children…our whole world.”
So, you can see why pets mean so much to humans, and honestly that sounds great. But it’s not great when 65% of adults feel the need to treat their pets equally to their own children- if not better.
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Who has been affected by this growing concern?
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Surprisingly, many children located all over the world who are now replaced by their newly bought pets, must live like animals now, eating their dog’s scraps just to survive.
Susie Roads (age 10) has been struggling these last few months, she says, ‘Since my mother bought her first cat, Bruno, she has been spoiling him immensely and has been forgetting her responsibilities towards me. I’m just not her main priority anymore, I now must cook my own dinner, wash and iron my own clothes and talk to myself from now on, as she is too busy stroking or playing with the cat. I miss my best friend.’      
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In an article stating why some people in Japan prefers pets to parenthood.

​Not only has Susie lost her mother due to this issue but Tommy Stooke, said that his dog has even taken over his bedroom and he must move out and up into the attic.
‘It’s not fair, and it’s not right,’ he says. 
There’s even been many accounts of parents giving their own pets more birthday and Christmas presents. Is limiting children’s presents the last straw, and when will their torment end?
But also, why do parents do this? Is it because their child just isn’t as cute as a little fluffy poodle? Well, we must get to the bottom of this issue before it’s too late
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So, how can we fix this problem?

Getting rid of pets or getting revenge on them is just plain mean. But re-educating the parents is more possible. If parents out there still love and care for their children and wants what’s best for them, I strongly advise them to take these points into consideration:
• One of the main problems when spoiling a pet is feeding them too much and not giving them the correct food. Pet food is actually much healthier than giving them human food, because after all the food is designed for the pet and is less likely to cause health issues in the future. So, stop giving your cat little chunks of cake, and stick to its Felix Tuna Packets.

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• Secondly, people need to stop the habit of picking their pet up. I know your chihuahua would probably prefer to be carried around in your bright pink, cosy handbag, but is that what’s best for them? 55% of pets have become lazy and have also developed health issues due to being picked up too much. So put the dog down and give them the regular walks they need.

 

• Finally, you MUST give your children the love and attention they deserve, or else they could have many problems later in life, like attachment and trust issues. At this young and impressionable age, you could risk leaving them heartbroken because of their neglection and your favoritism to an animal. IT IS AN ANIMAL; your child needs your attention much more than your dog. KNOW your priorities. Although pets are indeed important for the reasons previously expressed, they aren’t a child.

Save your children.
Save their wellbeing from being destroyed.
Save the world.