Article Title: Living up to our furry family

Article Summary

The article at issue talks about pet animals, and opines on what the ideal motives behind adopting them should be. The author starts by saying pets are a continuous source of joy in humans’ lives, that they reduce stress and boost social skills, among other perks. However, she feels that people have been taking quite a mercenary approach when it comes to adopting pets – they want animals only for the good effects the latter bring to the table, but would rather not be associated with them when they are having sick or bad days, and are old or haggard. She believes this utilitarian aspect to animal care must go. Her second criticism when it comes to people’s treatment of animals lies around the whole concept of ‘office pets’, animals that stay at offices for customary petting during work hours, but have no human contact or belongingness once everybody leaves the office for home. This damages the animal psychologically – while home pets are dependent on their owners and are always provided with company even after hours, and street dogs or cats grow up independent of humans, these animals are stuck in a disheartening limbo. These problems can only be solved when the approach to animals that humans have become as adoring as the one animals have for humans.