Introduction - Page 1 | The Benefit Of Pets - Page 2 | The Benefit Of Pets - Page 3 | The Benefit Of Pets - Page 4 | The Benefit Of Pets - Page 5 | Contact Page - Page 6

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Velma's Pets As Therapy,
PO Box 324, Killara, NSW 2071, Australia.

Research, Statistics, Quotes and Information On The Benefits Of Pets

This Page Includes:-

The Mackay Study Of Our Attitudes Towards Cats And Dogs

Part 2

The Mackay Study Of Our Attitudes Towards Cats And Dogs

 5. Pets play many different roles in the lives of their owners
It was apparent from respondents' discussions that pets can play different roles in their owner's lives at different stages of life. Thus, a pet may be acquired as a teaching aid for children and end up as a companion, or be bought as a watchdog when, in fact, it becomes a child substitute. The relationship between an owner and their pet(s) is, thus, not static and it can be influenced by the personality of the animal as well.
Pets can play any of the following roles, or indeed a combination of them.

5.1 Pet as a teacher of children
This is a common rationalisation for acquisition amongst parents of younger children. Children plead for a pet and part of the "bargaining process" involves the children agreeing to care for it and feed it, and the parents will use this as a justification for getting a pet. Apparently, reality rarely fits the expectation as far as the practicalities go.
"The lazy little buggers will be sitting on the couch and the dog will be salivating with hunger and they just ignore it".
"The kids argue so much about whose turn it is to feed him that I end up doing it myself".
Pets are more successful, however, as teachers in the less tangible areas of learning respect and compassion.
"We got a cat to aid the development of our eldest son. It's been a great success, he's responsible for feeding and grooming it and I think it's taught him to respect things which are smaller and weaker than himself. He's learned to sit and pat it".
"Our kids are reasonably fair and I wonder if having animals has helped. We've always had Golden Retrievers and Labradors."
"Emily is an only child and we think having an animal will help. It'll mean there's more than one little person. She won't be the focus of everything and she won't be so indulged".
"The kids drove us mad asking about the dog when we were away on holidays".
"It's good for kids to learn to care for something other than themselves in these times when they have so much".
"When they fill the bowl she drinks, it makes them realise she needs it".
Pets are also believed to be useful instruments in the difficult areas of how to cope with death and the basics of reproductive behaviour.
"It's a life experience. My kids saw the dog next door give birth".
"I think it's important for children to have animals because it helps to introduce them to the life and death process. Because of animals' life-cycles being short, the kids are around to witness it".
"The kids know about the cats being de-sexed and so they said to me 'is that what you're going to do?' My daughter went to school and said 'my mother is being de-sexed'!"
"We have a niece with a terminal illness. Maybe the cat's death will help my son to cope when she goes. He had so much compassion for that little cat".
Overall, pets act as a repository of traditional values and the duty which parents feel to pass these on to their children. Some parents feel they would be failing in their responsibilities as parents if they "deprived" their children of pets and that what they learn from pets makes them better human beings. Typically, if parents had pets as children, then they feel their own children have a right to them as well.
"I always feel for kids who've never had a pet".
"Pets help kids realise there's more to life than 'I want'."
"Parents can give kids phobias - they pull them away when our dog isn't even looking at them".
"A friend's child wanted a dog so badly she started acting like a dog - she eventually got it".

5.2 Pet as a family member
In addition to their function as teacher, pets are often regarded as integral to family life, giving a family a "completeness" which could otherwise be lacking. They can "draw families together" and bridge generations through the shared love and care of an animal.
"My kids treat your dog like one of the family".
"It's not a family without a dog".
"I came home from hospital with a baby and a pup, the bonding between them has been wonderful - it's not quite the same with the older children".
"My neighbour brings in bones for our dog".
"Whether or not the animals come inside depends on whether or not I want to keep my wife - if she left I'd bring 'em inside".

5.3 Pet as a child substitute.
This can apply in situations where someone has never had a child (in which case this motivation for ownership appears to be more readily recognised by other people) or where the children have left home. Anthropomorphism can be the result.
"I've got four children - a boy, a girl and two dogs. One of the dogs is called Kelly. Kelly was the first word our two year-old said".
"My dog is my security blanket, my little child, my baby".
"You're like me. I've never had a dog, we've just got one and I'm dotty about her."
"We've got rid of our teenage children and we've got a dog because we missed them".
"My aunt had dogs because she couldn't have children. The Corgi ate what they did and it got enormous, they took it to the dentist and it had gold teeth, then it got diabetes and when it died, it had a headstone".
"Before you have children, they're your children".
"My Mum has replaced me with a cat".
"My husband says the dog is his grandson because he doesn't look like getting one any other way".

5.4 Pet as a companion.
This function is often associated with owners who live alone, but it can apply more generally as well.
"If we were 80, we'd say cats suit us" "Or now, I live on my own and I wish there was a cat waiting for me at home".
"We had a cat who followed us everywhere. We'd go across the paddocks to get mushrooms and she'd follow us".
"Old Sam used to walk to Drummoyne Rowers every afternoon with his dog. He'd have three schooners and the dog would have a middy".
"If you're on your own, a little dog is wonderful".
"Dogs have their own way of hassling you. If you're driving along with all the windows up and they break wind, the look on their face, I swear they smile; I swear they think it's funny".
"My husband says 'make me an ice-cream and while you're at it get one for Sally' - she loves ice-cream between two wafers".
"She waits for the kids to come home from school, she knows what time it is".
"Pensioners and old people like them for company - if you see them without pets you wonder what they do for company".
"My mother's in a nursing home and there's a dog there - the patients love it. People have this affinity with animals the problem is everybody feeds it and it has to go to the health farm now and then".
"They are human; the only thing they can't do is talk". "When I was growing up Mum was at Uni, so it was me, the dog and the babysitter". "You can't tell me animals don't have expressions, my dog grins when I get the lead".

5.5 Pet as a fashion accessory or decoration.
There is an element of pet as a status symbol here, as well as recognition that breeds go in and out of fashion.
"There's an Irish Wolfhound across the road - the owner is a single career woman in her 30s, for her it's a yuppie thing. It's pedigreed, it's got papers, it's trimmed, groomed and shampooed, all her friends have poncy dogs too"
"Dogs go in fashion. Remember when everyone had an Afghan or an English Sheepdog?". "My 14 year-old is going through the paper trying to find a Rotty. They're all the rage, like designer jeans, and he's not old enough for a Ferrari".

5.6 Pet as a "brand".
This is, perhaps, an offshoot of the previous category. It occurs when a pet is owned because it enhances or clarifies the identity of the owner - it says a little more about their interests and personality. It is in this area that the stereotypes associated with certain breeds are most apparent.
"I wouldn't like to walk around with a little poodle, I'd like something more macho". "It's like having a V8 car, with a pet, like a car, you go for the most powerful one". "The smaller the mind, the tougher the dog". "Cats are for women but men can relate to a dog - they're tough and outdoor". "We've got a Pomeranian. It's not the sort of dog I would have chosen. It's an inside, yappy dog".

5.7 Pet as a demonstration of authority.
A pet may be more amenable to discipline than other household members and "they don't answer back".
"I like having a dog because at least it shows I can train my dog better than my kids".
"My father used to take his dog to work. It lay under his desk and it growled at anyone who walked in".
"I'm hard on my dogs; no tablets, no needles and they sleep outside".

5.8 Pet as a playmate and toy.
Here the pet is a malleable object, particularly for children.
"The kids play with the dog in an active sense".
"My daughter dresses our Blue Heeler in baby clothes".
"A dog gives you so much. We play hide and seek with our dog and he'll find us and everything".
"You can play with our dog, he loves it".
"She's a terrific playmate for our seven year old".

5.9 Pet as a worker,
as a watchdog, or else as hunting dog, sheep or cattle dog. Mousing and killing other vermin are other functional benefits. It is clear from some "worker" anecdotes that pets do not always perform as anticipated, but are nevertheless integral members of a household - the emotional benefits of ownership supersede the rational.
"I've got a new baby at home and I'd feel a bit vulnerable without the dog".
"I don't like cats, but we have one to keep the snakes away".
"Our dog stays in the backyard, he's a half breed, he cost , he's got a loud bark and a loud bite and he won't let anyone in".
"If you hear a noise and the dog seems relaxed you know it's just a possum, but if the dog seems alert"
"We have a cat to keep the rats down in the barn".
"The neighbour's Silky Terrier was in labour for three days - she gave a pup to us and we haven't been vandalised since".
"I've got a farm with cattle and sheep. My dogs are my livelihood, they're born to be workers".

5.10 Pet as a money earner.
"We're going to be house and animal-minders. My husband is out of work and we're going into business walking and feeding them, giving them TLC".
"Some of these breeders must earn a fortune".

5.11 Pet as a pure animal
There are some owners for whom their pet is not obviously a symbol of anything - they seem to love it for what it is, they don't treat it as "a human in a fur coat" and they are recognised by others as lovers of animals in general.
"I should have been a vet. I'm an animal person but not over the top. We enjoy our animals".

5.12 Finally, there is pet as a waste bin.
"The kids leave their food and the dog will eat it, even grapes - it saves wastage".
"There are no scraps in our house - the animals eat everything except broccoli

6. Pet ownership is pleasantly basic and simple
Against the complexities of modern life and human relationships, the relationship between owner and pet is refreshingly simple.

6.1 There is (usually) a clear master or mistress and the animal cannot answer back or complain.
Respondents occasionally related anecdotes which appeared to involve pet revenge (e.g. so called "accidents" in the house, on clothing, etc.) but in most instances the owner enjoys a gratifying sense of unchallenged power. They can discipline the animal as they wish; choose and reject them; use them as a conduit for fighting with the neighbours; and take their frustrations out on them. The power the owner has over the animal may be a welcome compensation for lack of power in human relationships. Rivalries between animals and other household members are an illustration of an upset in the exercise of power.
"Dogs will try to dominate you. You've got to show them who's boss".
"My dog ate my mother-in-law's bromeliaeds because she wouldn't let him inside"
"My daughter brought this cat home and it scratched me. It had this dominance thing - after I whacked it, it was humble"
"We were interested in Springer Spaniels but we decided against them because they get back problems - that's the last thing you need".
"Ours aren't allowed inside, they know where they belong".
"At least you can tell a dog to shut up and it'll take some notice of you, but not a cat".
"I trained our cat with the hose when he was little not to chase birds".

6.2 The needs of a pet are easily satisfied
and they are always grateful, at least in the case of dogs. The owner's expectations of a pet may also be quite straight forward - companionship, child substitute, teacher, watchdog. Even the notion of dog as "man's best friend" implies an uncomplicated, unquestioning and rewarding relationship. Feelings of guilt can be quite strong if an owner feels they have not kept their side of the simple "bargain" of trust between pet and owner.
"I had guilt feelings over our first Labrador. He hadn't had much attention because the kids were small after he died, he came to me in a dream and said he was as happy as could be".
"When we were building here the dog had to go to the kennels. When I came home at night he wasn't here to greet me, it was odd, I hadn't realised how much I looked forward to it".
"As long as we don't have any other pets, our dog is happy".
"Our cockie died, aged 50, two days before we went on holidays. It was so convenient, but I felt real guilty, as if I'd willed him into dying".

6.3 Indulgence in stereotyping helps the pet/owner relationship to be unidimensional and uncomplicated.
"Dogs take on the characteristics of the people who own them".
"I'm scared of German Shepherds. They can be treacherous".
"I hate Kelpies and Blues. My daughter was bitten by one".
"The smaller they are, the more aggressive and yappy they are".
You can tell how big a pup will get by the size of his feet".

6.4 When men talk about wanting a dog to protect their family while they are away, the "cave man" instinct shines clearly through the civilised man.
"A watchdog is comforting if I'm out and the family is on their own". "I want a good guard dog to look after the wife and kids".

6.5 Primitivism
is also inherent in the acceptance of the occasional cruelty of animals.
"Look at the way a cat plays with a mouse, they won't kill it for ages".
"With animals it's survival of the fittest. A bitch will reject a weak pup".

6.6 As far as cats are concerned,
there is sometimes another level of primitivism to the relationship, something as basic as the "cave man" connotations of dogs but more subtle, even sinister. It was apparent from some cat owners' conversations that they believe cats may have a form of "second sight", verging on mystical powers. Their perceived aloofness is taken as evidence of this, as if they are above (or beyond, or below) normal motivations and operating on an agenda of their own. This mysteriousness makes some people distrust and dislike cats, while other people respect them for it.
"They're very elusive, like witches".
"My cat's name is Essie. It means 'sacred cat of Burma'. She's got a white nose and feet where they rest on the Buddha's feet".
"Is it true cats won't stay in a house which is haunted?"
"Cats are very perceptive, they'll pick up on ghostly vibes which we don't notice" "And it's not only cats, my dog wouldn't go into a room which a psychic friend of mine said was full of spirits".

6.7 The overall conclusion to be drawn from the foregoing points
is that pet ownership satisfies a deep urge to be in touch with our basic instincts, with life and "nature" as represented in those primitive motivations which drive us and ultimately satisfy us. Pets don't demand sophistication or even intelligence from their owners, the communication can be satisfactorily carried out at a basic and uncomplicated level.

7. The trend towards superior pet care acknowledges the increasingly important role of pets in contemporary life
During the course of their conversations, many respondents referred to the amount of time, effort and money they spend on caring for their pets, in comparison with the somewhat more slap-dash approach of previous generations. In the past, people may have cared about their animals, but they are thought to have been less willing to physically care for them to the extent that many owners claim to do today.
The "old school" of pet care is thought to have been typified by minimal vet care, no vaccinations or "poofy" pet accessories, no canned food, unwanted pups or kittens drowned, desexing carried out by the gumboot-and-knife method and no registration. Some of these practices still survive, especially in the country, and on occasions the opinion was expressed that "it's not natural for animals to have all this done to them today".
"I was brought up in the bush. In those days, if it was no good, you shot it".
"My father used to dig a hole, hit them on the head with a spade and then shove them in".
"My father-in-law had different sized boots for different sized dogs and cats".
"I've always had dogs and I've always treated them hard. I don't get attached to them".
"Years ago men had rifles more. There was no hesitation about people despatching them themselves, but now we take them along to the vet to do it".
Today, the existence of pet psychologists, luxuriously appointed dog and cat kennels and the wide range of pet accessories which are available are cited as further evidence of the caring lengths to which some owners will go. While some respondents clearly felt all of this was going a bit far, others obviously take it seriously.
"The vet on Burke's Back Yard is often good with his psychology of cats, they might be insecure"
"There's a wonderful gift shop in South Yarra called 'Just Cats'. She had a seminar on Thursday on animal psychologists. She's got cat china and cat pictures in her shop worth hundreds of dollars".
"Cats are big business. I buy an American magazine called Cat Fancy you should see what you can buy" "I'm a cat collector, and most of my expensive jewellery has cats on it".
"We've taken our dog to stay at Sparrows In the Tree Tops. It's a five-star hotel. We're going camping and she'll have a heated trampoline bed, piped music and three meals a day. I was looking for the television in the corner!"
"I bought him a trampoline for his arthritis and he won't sleep on it".
Some breeders are believed to check the suitability of potential owners - further evidence perhaps of how owning a pet has gained status today as a form of parenting.
"You go to a pedigree breeder and it's like getting a credit card. They really check you out".
Respondents often complained at length about the cost of veterinary care, while nevertheless usually being willing (reluctantly) to part with the money.

8. Sometimes pets can become a nuisance
The above findings present the benefits of the pet/owner relationship and reflect the thrust of the great majority of discussion throughout this study. Inevitably, however, there are cases where the relationship is not a success, for any one, or combination, of the factors detailed below. Interestingly enough, these factors are not necessarily enough to prevent (future) ownership, as negative perceptions are not always shared by all members of a household. The "failure" of one pet may also be a function of the stage-of-life cycle of a family, or the personality of a particular animal.
The inhibitors of a successful relationship, or disincentives to re-acquisition, are as follows.

8.1 They tie you down.
They can stop one travelling, or at least add to the complications of it. They impose a daily routine of feeding and care which may not mesh easily with a busy lifestyle. In essence, they are a responsibility which not everyone takes on board easily.
"When our children left home we decided we wanted the freedom to travel, so, no more pets".
"A dog becomes a chore after a while. My mum does all the looking after our dog and we've had it for 15 years. She's done all the work all that time".
"I left my husband years ago, we had a dog and a cat so I tried to be fair and I took the cat because he never seemed to like it, but a few weeks later he rang my daughter and said 'I want the cat', but then later he rang and said 'Tell your mother to come and get the bloody cat', it was the responsibility!"
"The problem is when the children go they don't take them with them".
"I was so busy looking after babies and toddlers the dog was a nuisance, now I feel I'm ready to have another one".
"I'm not an animal lover. We have a cat but only because it was my mother's and she died. I have as little to do with it as possible".
"Once the kids are gone, no more pets, we want to be off".
"My mum uses them as an excuse now. She says she can't go away because of them but really she's a homebody and she likes being at home".
"We're lucky to have two families to look after it when we go away. It's a real tie otherwise. They have to be a good dog to interrupt your lifestyle".
"Birds are so much easier - stick a bell in their cage and they're happy for a week".
"My dream of selling the farm and moving into town is going out the window with all these animals".

8.2 They cost money.
The purchase price and food costs do not seem to be the major issues. Rather, it is the ongoing and unexpected maintenance costs. Vet fees are a prime concern:
"You've got to have nothing else to do with a poodle, and no mortgage".
"If anything more happens to our cat we're going to get it put down. We're not going to spend any more money on it".
"The problem with pets is they do cost a lot they used to have Medipet which helped"
"The hardest thing is finding the money to have a female cat desexed".
"It was going to cost for our dog to have that spinal operation".
"Vets earn more than doctors".
Kenneling is another major cost, avoided in some instances by leaving the pets at home and relying on neighbours, friends or extended family to come in daily and feed them. Pets may also be boarded with other family members, with mixed success.
"I take mine to my mother-in-law's. She hates it, especially if it's raining".
"I went to feed your dog when you were away and he attacked me".
"The hardest part is when we go away. We tried the kennels but she wouldn't eat or drink"
And there is the general cost of maintenance products.
"Even if you buy them at Yagoona, it costs a lot - shampoo, flea stuff"

8.3 Some people are allergic to fur
"When a cat puts its fur near me, I sneeze".
"One friend of ours is allergic to fur, we have to shut the animals up every time he visits".
"Our youngest is super allergic to cats, they bring on asthma".

8.4 Pets may fail to live up to the owner's expectations
in general terms, as well, the cute puppy turns into a large vandal or a snappy barker; expectations that the dog will "teach" children responsibility through caring for them, or that the children will do anything for them at all, prove unfounded.
"Dogs are really cool when they're puppies but when they grow up you have to walk them".
"If you don't want a dog, don't buy a puppy".
"Dogs are forever, not just for Christmas".
"It's terrible the way people cast pets aside when they're past the cute stage" "I've done it myself with stray kittens".
"That little ball of fluff is now a big ball of fluff and it barks a lot".

8.5 And finally, pets can become a heartache.
The distress caused by a loved pet's death can make one hesitate about replacing them, at least for the time being.
"When I lost my cat, Millie, I was heartbroken"
"That's the only trouble with animals, it's devastating when they die. You mourn them more than other people"
"I've had three cats, one got nicked, one got run over, one died of the cat flu. It's so upsetting and I thought that's it, I can't bear it anymore".
"You get too attached and then they go"
"It was so sad, we buried him in the back yard. It was just like someone in the family going".
"If they live a long time and you get really attached, you tend not to get another one".

9. Dogs can be more emotionally accessible than cats
There is a common perception held by both cat and dog owners that the two animals are inherently "different" in style and "personality" and that the nature of the relationship one has with them is therefore different as well - potentially just as rewarding but different. (Note: this concept is based on another one of those generalisations which can make pet ownership so satisfyingly simple).

9.1 It appears to be easier to have a rewarding relationship with a dog.
Dogs are thought to love unconditionally, to need you more than a cat, to be more obviously grateful for what is done for them and to be more amenable to discipline. Cat owners as well as dog owners concede these general points (especially if they are cat owners rather than cat lovers or even cat likers). Cat owners are less happy with dog owners' contentions that dogs are also more faithful, clever and "steady". On the downside, however, there is general acceptance that dogs require more care and attention than cats.
"You don't get as much feedback from a cat".
"You never know what a cat is thinking".
"Dogs are more faithful, cats like places more than people".
"Cats are less of a relationship. If you're on your own, you can have a relationship with them but if you have children and a busy household, you don't have time to put in the investment".
"I wouldn't have got a dog when I was working full-time, you enjoy a dog if you're around to invest in it and make it like you want".
"With dogs you can see the responsiveness, even if you don't know what they want".
"Dogs are loyal, cats aren't. If you go away for two weeks a cat will have forgotten you".

9.2 Cat owners,
on the other hand, acknowledge that cats are often not as approachable and friendly as dogs and, thus, not as emotionally accessible, but they defend these characteristics on the grounds that cats are more discriminating and independent, less fawning and pathetically grateful. Thus, what non-cat people interpret as arrogance, cat owners see as levels of discrimination and taste, which are worthy of respect. In addition, to be loved by a cat makes owners feel superior and privileged, as if they are part of an "inner sanctum", whereas "a dog will be all over anybody". Cats are also thought to be cleaner.
"I like cats. They've got more personality, they're more conniving".
"I love cats because they never cower down; they're independent, beautiful animals".
"Cats are cleaner, they dig holes"
"Our cat tells the dogs where to go".
"With cats you reap what you sow, whereas a dog will be all over you regardless".
"Cats are more intelligent; they own you, you never own them".
"We've got a Burmese Siamese cross who thinks it's a dog. It annoys me, at times, because of its demanding howl but I respect it. It's got a brain".

9.3 Some cat lovers are also fascinated by the mysteriousness and sensuality of cats.
The (possibly) more straight-forward dog lover, however, may find these qualities devious and deceptive, even sinister.
"We have a friend who hates cats. Every time he comes to the house the cat sits on his knee".
"There's something special about cats"
"I can't stand the way they rub up against you"
"Cats are sneaky".
"Cats have got a wild tiger in them. You never know when they're going to strike".
There are indications, too, of sexual stereotypes and prejudices at play in perceptions of cats versus dogs. Thus, dogs have macho connotations (this is true of female dogs, too) whereas cats tend to have a female aura.
"It's harder to talk about cats because they've got less of a personality - or maybe it's because dog owners are more aggressive and they talk more".
"Women like cats and blokes like dogs".
"A cat is a female sign - you talk about cat women but you don't have dog men".

Researchers' Postscript
It is no mystery as to why 90's Australians are turning, in larger numbers, towards dogs and cats. They are looking for an antidote to the complexities of modern life and modern relationships. They are seeking to establish in their lives some of the simple pleasures and satisfactions pet ownership can bring. In part, this is because of the demands of contemporary life, the ever increasing pace of social change and the unsettling effect this has on human beings. It is also because now, more than any other time in human history, relationships between adult humans are subject to considerable stresses. Stress comes from our renegotiation of male/female relationships and the high demands people place on one another and on their relationships to satisfy them.
People are looking towards pets for some of the characteristics they would look for in any relationship; loyalty, devotion, affection, company, comfort, responsiveness and even control.

Pet lovers have long believed that the relationship they enjoy with their pet is a proper relationship and as such, it involves a balance of rights and responsibilities, pleasure and duties. One of the things many pet owners argue vehemently is that a renewed sense of the importance of pets to our lives should result in a corresponding emphasis on the need to care properly for dogs and cats.
There are obvious positives and negatives in pet ownership. But for pet owners the equation comes down strongly on the side of the intangible and many would say immeasurable, positives which a dog or cat provide.

  
 
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