Thinking of Pets - they are not just animals.
We can come across innumerable true stories of Pets being brought up in the family in the western countries.
They become members of the family; and there is no dearth of stories of dogs being named as heirs, after the death of their wealthy owners there.
The intimacy between pets and their owners is beyond description.
No wonder, you can come across hundreds of thousands of sites on the Net dedicated exclusively for Pet care; dog foods; clinics; clubs; pedigree this and that.
Although people keep assorted varieties of pets - from snakes, birds, and even crocodiles - dogs to a large extent, followed by cats, are most prominent in the Pets list.
It may look funny - people while searching for rental residences, take specific attention to see, whether their respective pet will be allowed with them; if not they forsake even very good offers of comfortable residences and look elsewhere.
Similarly, niches of websites that give suggestions, tips and ideas towards pets brought up at home are immensely popular; so also the industry doing business in food items for pets is minting millions every year - all because of the attachment prevalent between these animals (some may frown by calling them animals!) and their owners.
Broadly one can surmise how pets are so popular and greater in numbers in the western countries, owing to their affordability - the economic condition that is.
In countries like India, where millions of families are still suffering from difficulty to make both ends meet, particularly in the villages, this trend of vast number of pets is absent.
It does not mean they do not love pets; the bond existing between home animals and human beings are one and the same everywhere; only thing is affordability, which prohibits them from adding up the size of the family through pets.
However, pets are grown in many families in the villages - for example dogs rather than cats - for serving an additional purpose of safety, from intruders and other wild animals during nights, to harm the house or cattle.
Village people are not that educated, to follow all the care and caution in bringing up pets, like their counterparts in cities and other countries.
There is no Dog-care Clinic existing in villages either.
Yet if you visit villages in South India, you will be amazed to see dogs in homes are so fondly loved as one of the family members; they eat whatever the family eats - no specialized or highly priced dog-foods, as in the case of westerners.
Rice being the core food for South Indians - village pet-dogs eat anything made of rice and of course the bones and meat thrown as residues, after satisfying the appetite of family as a whole.
There may not be special kernels exclusively for them; and they can lie down outside the house and be vigilant during nights.
No special bathing; combing; trimming done for them and they live with nature, as their owners in villages do.
Yet - invariably these dogs get an individual name - similar to the kids of the family; they come running wherever they are from, once they are called by their names.
And they are in no way inferior to the show of affection, friendship and gratitude, any pedigree dog will do towards their owners.
We can come across innumerable true stories of Pets being brought up in the family in the western countries.
They become members of the family; and there is no dearth of stories of dogs being named as heirs, after the death of their wealthy owners there.
The intimacy between pets and their owners is beyond description.
No wonder, you can come across hundreds of thousands of sites on the Net dedicated exclusively for Pet care; dog foods; clinics; clubs; pedigree this and that.
Although people keep assorted varieties of pets - from snakes, birds, and even crocodiles - dogs to a large extent, followed by cats, are most prominent in the Pets list.
It may look funny - people while searching for rental residences, take specific attention to see, whether their respective pet will be allowed with them; if not they forsake even very good offers of comfortable residences and look elsewhere.
Similarly, niches of websites that give suggestions, tips and ideas towards pets brought up at home are immensely popular; so also the industry doing business in food items for pets is minting millions every year - all because of the attachment prevalent between these animals (some may frown by calling them animals!) and their owners.
Broadly one can surmise how pets are so popular and greater in numbers in the western countries, owing to their affordability - the economic condition that is.
In countries like India, where millions of families are still suffering from difficulty to make both ends meet, particularly in the villages, this trend of vast number of pets is absent.
It does not mean they do not love pets; the bond existing between home animals and human beings are one and the same everywhere; only thing is affordability, which prohibits them from adding up the size of the family through pets.
However, pets are grown in many families in the villages - for example dogs rather than cats - for serving an additional purpose of safety, from intruders and other wild animals during nights, to harm the house or cattle.
Village people are not that educated, to follow all the care and caution in bringing up pets, like their counterparts in cities and other countries.
There is no Dog-care Clinic existing in villages either.
Yet if you visit villages in South India, you will be amazed to see dogs in homes are so fondly loved as one of the family members; they eat whatever the family eats - no specialized or highly priced dog-foods, as in the case of westerners.
Rice being the core food for South Indians - village pet-dogs eat anything made of rice and of course the bones and meat thrown as residues, after satisfying the appetite of family as a whole.
There may not be special kernels exclusively for them; and they can lie down outside the house and be vigilant during nights.
No special bathing; combing; trimming done for them and they live with nature, as their owners in villages do.
Yet - invariably these dogs get an individual name - similar to the kids of the family; they come running wherever they are from, once they are called by their names.
And they are in no way inferior to the show of affection, friendship and gratitude, any pedigree dog will do towards their owners.