12pm today
Imagine a friend tells you that your baby is sick and might die. You will feel shocked and saddened and ask how you can help. You will promise to pray for her children and her family.
Will anything change if that friend replies, “Thank you, I hope Fluffy gets through this?” According to many, it shouldn't. With the birth rate at an all-time low and pet ownership at an all-time high, more Americans are not only talking about their furry friends, but treating them like their children.
Recently, Katherine Wu, in an article in The Atlantic magazine titled “Pets Can Really Become Human Family Members,” argued that “Referring to some pet owners as the 'parents' of dogs and cats is a way of thinking about these relationships. It may be the best abbreviation to represent it.” Wu said she is seeing a growing pet economy for products and services that mirror those once aimed at children.
