A pet revolution began in 1998
Dogs have come a long way since the days when they were put to work on farms and fed scraps. A high-end dog-food brand in the US, Stella & Chewy's, has a 3.5kg box of "Grass-Fed Lamb Stew" for $70 and it's "100% human-grade". And if your dog is the ethical type, he or she or they can chow down on Wild Earth's vegan dog food. An 8kg meatless bag for $70 which is chock full of plant protein. They've even come a long way since they spent their nights in the doghouse. Dogs now sleep inside on orthopedic beds. They get top-notch healthcare and visits to psychiatrists who prescribe them antidepressants. They get massages and spa days. They wear jerseys in winter. Dogs are also much less likely to be put down these days. During the 1990s, more than 10 million dogs were euthanised in America every year. Now it's about 670,000 dogs per year. The overwhelming majority of shelter dogs are now adopted rather than snuffed out. Around 54 per cent of American households now have at least one pooch. Up until 1998, there were around 62 million, now there are more than 90 million. That's reflected in the amount of money spent on pets — it has ballooned from $23 billion to $90.5 billion (in inflation-adjusted terms). Pet Nation author Mark Cushing's most interesting argument for why 1998 seems to be a pivotal year has to do with the rise of the internet. There are the obvious ways it's made it easier to find dogs, matching faraway breeders and shelters with wannabe dog owners. More interesting is Cushing's contention that pets are filling the void created by social decay after technology atomised us, divided us, and sowed social distrust.
Chicken in Jeopardy?
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