Posts Tagged: My Pet Is The Best
BFF’s: Taking a Closer Look at the Human-Animal Bond
Cats and dogs weren’t always considered integral members of the family, but they certainly are nowadays. Initially employed for herding, hunting, and pest control, the ancestors of the animals we now hold near and dear to our hearts had to work hard for a warm place to sleep at night. This hard-won balance between our species has been maintained for centuries and, in fact, we evolved together. As a result, we have a very specific affinity for them.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the economic downturn a decade ago didn’t affect the nation’s spending related to pets. While some people might view pet ownership and care as an indulgence in trying times, others utterly depend on the relationship with their pet. All this (and more) begs the question: what is at the root of the human-animal bond?