Pet

The dictionary meaning of pet is a companion animal kept for one’s joy and entertainment. Mankind has a history of domesticating animals to either assist in their work like horses, sheep, dogs, donkeys, etc. or to provide support and protect.

Dogs have traditionally been bosom companions to mankind and numerous are the heart-warming stories of the connection between dog and master. Dogs are the most favoured companions. Loyalty is the word that comes to mind when you think of a pet dog.

Nowadays cats are increasingly favoured as pets. Studies show that cats can calm down a person’s nervous system. Cats are more independent, so caring for them is low maintenance. Also they have longer life spans so that you get more time with them.

During the COVID pandemic lockdown, there was a boom for pets. Since people were cooped up in the house they could care for them. However once life began to resemble normalcy many abandoned their pets at animal shelters. How uncaring is that?

Nowadays you have dog walkers! Why own a dog if you can’t even walk it? The bonding that comes with this innocuous activity has to be experienced.

However we often see pets confined to the back porch from where they look longingly at the freedom of the stray dogs. These "pet" dogs do fall prey to depression too.

They aren’t that very different from their owners. Both need companionship and TLC. But just because they can’t talk, their needs get drowned in the tumult of everyday life.

I see various foreign breeds of dogs translocated from their native countries. If only they could talk, they would complain of their problems adapting to a foreign climate. Trapped in heavy fur they are unable to adapt to the Indian climate. The owners buy them for social status and the dog gets the short end of the stick.

We need to be more empathetic to the needs of our four legged companions. If we are constrained due to work or other similar reasons let us not adopt the dog. Provide a stray with food and water daily, let it have its freedom and you have a devout pet at hand.

They are bought for providing companionship but they are left locked up, alone, hungry for food eventually making them obese and at risk of all diseases.

Yes, pets are a joy but we should take the raising of one with the responsibility it deserves and not just as a selfish need.

Let us give our pets a better life and not literally a dog’s life.