This is a rising issue and a hot fucking potato at that.
Pets can create joy, happiness and liveliness, even for decades and generations - just by being there. On the other hand, pets as they exist now can also be called a marketing phenomenon, and some go even as far as comparing pet ownership to anorexia, bulimia and other destructive ailments.
There's no denying that pets are a well-operating business with rising ecological and animal protection issues. Owning nearly any pet, especially in urban areas, puts amazing stress on the environment when taking in hand of the amount of food and water that different pets need or consume during their lifetimes.
Another issue with pets is the right of ownership. Dangerous breeds of dogs are bred and raised especially to look hard, tough and consequently suffer from many problems, leading to unneeded attacks and suffering towards humans or other animals. Some countries or areas are developing laws or regulations that would require one to pass a certain course before being able to become a pet owner.
Pets can be helpful and useful for us humans, one of the only species capable of taming others to do their bidding and certainly attack dogs, helper dogs and other domesticated animals have and still ease many burdens off our society. But shutting out these helpers and use-animals, is there any real reason to conserve the pet industry as it stands? Looking at all the animals that end up suffering because their owners didn't care for them or simply grew tired of them at some point, not to mention that so many are only bought or acquired to fill a simple need.
Could pets, as we see them now, become obsolete?
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