To say that having a pet is a luxury, not a right?

I've read that even chimps don't understand a pointed finger. Dogs and horses do.

Dogs have lived with people for so long they have evolved to eat more grain, to have "eyebrows" for communication, and can recognize human expressions (which wolves can't even if they live with humans from being puppies. )

They like to live with people, it's not an imposition.

I'm really of two minds about this.

Absolutely, you need to consider affordability. I've known of a person who had a cat, for example, but struggled to afford food and litter. It wasn't the kind of scenario where this was an unexpected lack of funds.

On the other hand, a pet can sometimes be such a great companion. I used to know an elderly lady, on a very small income, with a cat, and she afforded food and litter with very careful budgeting. That cat was in many ways the center of her home life.

She would not, however, have been able to afford some of the costs that are now considered usual with a pet, particularly some of the vetting.

And then there is the question of what is basic vetting. Many vets can do so much now, I've known people to have cancer treatment for dogs, and a lady who spends several thousand a month on medication for a cat. Vets also pressure people into many expensive tests and procedures now that weren't even in the radar before.

No. Life is hard, pets bring people love, a reason to live, laughter, affection, conpany, getting out... so much. You can't put a price on that. Even the poorest make space in their budgets to feed their animals, the homeless living on the streets always have well fed animals.
I never understand the "can't afford to have children" comments, and they are usually from middle class people. Most people who have kids are poor/minimum wage, how do they think they afford it.. You just manage.
Love is everything

How do you prove you can look after something without looking after it? It’s not like they can have trial puppies they just drop into a house for 2 weeks.

People's circumstances change all the time; often through no fault of their own - who's to say what people should be permitted to do?
It sounds a little bit Katie Hopkins.

You may know one or two - if they work in a niche job, or for a large company (especiallyif working for ag research or something), they may be well paid. However, the average vet pay is about half that of equivalent professions.

Must be different in the UK.

CoubousAndTourmalet

There was a huge mix of them, not many rural, mostly Dublin, normal gp practices, one or two rural. All on 40-50k+euro

I have two cats (rescues)

Insurance c £45
Pet plan c £35 (jabs, flea/worm stuff and check-up)
Food £120 (they get the good stuff)
Cat sitter £40 (for when we go on holiday - dd covers some).

£240pcm before you pass go. All figures above are pcm.

The children were significantly more expensive.

We are responsible parents so plan in advance.

We have a vet in the family, she is definitely not on a high salary but she works for one of the big multi practice groups - independent vets/ small rural practices probably pay much better.

LameBorzoi

I know two vets well and have been out with their friends. I’m in Ireland so maybe it’s different but they’re on very good money after about ten/ fifteen years working.

Nice to see OP has come back 🙄 dump and then sits back and watches it go.

Great. Another thing the poors shouldn't be allowed.

I live alone with my dog, and on a low income (benefits). I got her when life was better. Yes, she costs money, but she enriches my life so much and I would not swap that for the all the money in the world.

Actually, vets are really poorly paid. And the costs are very small compared to human medicine.

Cats and dogs don't belong "wild and free". They are fundamentally domesticated animals.

Humans didn't choose to domesticate them - it was not a concious process. Rather, these species exploited new ecological niches that were created by human settlements.

Part if this survival strategy is dogs and cats exploiting us by mimicking some behaviours of human infants, and thereby triggering parental care behaviours in humans.

But the whole point of a dog is to elicit care from humans. They are highly evolved to fit this particular niche. It's their (very successful) survival strategy.

I think it's one thing to only get a pet if you can afford to feed it, look after it and cover basic vet fees (and have the time to look after it properly).

But I think extortionate vet fees for complex treatments are another thing altogether. I wouldn't say someone should never have a pet if they don't have thousands of pounds spare for vet fees. (Yes I know there's insurance, but it often doesn't pay out, and if the pet is elderly or has health conditions then insurance may not be affordable anyway.)

I budget my cats expenses into my budget. Yeah I could have an extra £300 a month (which would actually help some months) and not have them but I live on my own, some days they're my only company. I'd go without instead of giving them up (not one tells people to give up their children if they fall on hard times).

They're also my little family (one cat is currently missing and the torment and heartbreak of not knowing is something I've never experienced before). And no I don't need to put more effort into my relationships with the humans in my life I do that perfectly well. Animals love unconditonally (unless you're a cat in which case they can be absolute arsehole😂) humans come with catches.

It is a luxury, and I think as a nation we should wean ourselves off the dependency on another species to fill voids or needs in our lives - I am convinced human relations would improve if people put the effort they put into their animals into other humans instead.

I think great strides have been made in alternatives to guide dogs, and we should be pushing harder on that, and doing away with exploiting dogs for human need. Same for sniffer dogs.

People don't consider the impact of their pets on the planet either - how many other animals are killed to feed Fido or Tiddles, and how much waste there is due to pets.

I think the country would on the whole be better off without pets. People who say they rely on their pet would have to adjust.

Fantastic point by a pp about how we don't care about killing rats in horrible traps or with poison, but will pay £x for a hamster to be humanely euthed. Same goes for euthing dogs and cats and not giving a shit about the farmed animals in the slaughterhouses. We are a weird species to care about some animals but not all. People just don't think, or worse, don't care.

I love seeing animals in the wild, free, where they belong.

Same applies to children

this thread will just make a lot of people angry.
I’m sure you’ve heard this before but I could afford mine when I first bought her as I still lived at home.
if you’re talking about people who set out knowing their circumstances aren’t great I see your point but as long as they’re fed and loved it’s better than being euthanised or in a kennel for the rest of their lives.
and dogs are sometimes the only company that people have.

I've always had pets, but won't have any more after these.

It doesn't feel right to have a sentient creature as a pet, a commodity, a cute thing. They're just a prisoner.

I bet in hundreds of years, maybe less, having a pet will seem outrageous.

Elon Musk could run it, it could be called DOGE UK