"I would argue that something different is happening, however, particularly since the COVID-19 lockdown: Loving dogs has become an expression not of loneliness but of how unhappy many Americans are with society and other people. In my own book, " Rescue Me," I explore how today's dog culture is more a symptom of our suffering as a society than a cure for it. Dogs aren't just being used as a substitute for people. As a philosopher"
"Americans love dogs. Nearly half of U.S. households have one, and practically all owners see pets as part of the family - 51% say pets belong "as much as a human member." The pet industry keeps generating more and more jobs, from vets to trainers, to influencers. Schools cannot keep up with the demand for veterinarians. It all seems part of what Mark Cushing, a lawyer and lobbyist for veterinary issues, calls " the pet revolution": the more and more privileged place that pets occupy"
Nearly half of U.S. households have dogs and many owners treat pets as family, with 51% saying pets belong as much as a human member. The pet industry expands jobs across veterinary care, training, and influencer roles while veterinary schools struggle to meet demand. The internet and pandemic-era changes have shifted dog culture from a loneliness substitute to an expression of dissatisfaction with society and other people. Dogs are increasingly expected to relieve the erosion of social life and often provide relationships that some owners find more satisfying than human connections.
Read at Fortune
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