Julia Elliot discusses the English love of pets.
A recent survey in the United States showed that the average
family there spent more money on its pets than on its children. This y
is a rather shocking statistic. It is possible that Americans are unique
in caring for their pets, but the information we have would suggest
that the English too do their best to take good care of their pets.
This can clearly be seen when we look at pet foods, which often
contain more vitamins than human food. They certainly cost as
much. Last year the British public spent two hundred million pounds
on pet food alone. It is difficult not to feel sad about this when one
thinks what the same amount of money could do for poor or old
people, especially when I read about another old person who has left
all his/her money to a dog or cat home.
There are a variety of reasons why I, personally, find the
popularity of British pets alarming. First of all, they cause physical
problems. An example of this is London, where there is great 3
difficulty in getting rid of the mess that dogs leave on the streets.
Many people find this funny, but in a number of large cities it is a
major problem.
Animals can cause disease, too. It is the threat of rabies - a
disease with no known cure - that has made the English government
take some measures by restricting animals coming into the United
Kingdom.
Another problem is the carelessness of some pet owners. Most
little children want a dog or cat. It is only when the 'sweet little
thing' has been brought home that parents realize how much time
and money must be spent on 'Bonzo' or 'Bulky'. Therefore, many
of these owners abandon their pets. Pets which are allowed to run
free are not sweet at all. English farmers lose hundreds of sheep a
year, killed by someone's pet.
You may think that I dislike all pets, but this is not true at all. We
are a nation of pet-lovers. Wouldn't it be betiü to be lovers of
human beings?
A recent survey in the United States showed that the average
family there spent more money on its pets than on its children. This y
is a rather shocking statistic. It is possible that Americans are unique
in caring for their pets, but the information we have would suggest
that the English too do their best to take good care of their pets.
This can clearly be seen when we look at pet foods, which often
contain more vitamins than human food. They certainly cost as
much. Last year the British public spent two hundred million pounds
on pet food alone. It is difficult not to feel sad about this when one
thinks what the same amount of money could do for poor or old
people, especially when I read about another old person who has left
all his/her money to a dog or cat home.
There are a variety of reasons why I, personally, find the
popularity of British pets alarming. First of all, they cause physical
problems. An example of this is London, where there is great 3
difficulty in getting rid of the mess that dogs leave on the streets.
Many people find this funny, but in a number of large cities it is a
major problem.
Animals can cause disease, too. It is the threat of rabies - a
disease with no known cure - that has made the English government
take some measures by restricting animals coming into the United
Kingdom.
Another problem is the carelessness of some pet owners. Most
little children want a dog or cat. It is only when the 'sweet little
thing' has been brought home that parents realize how much time
and money must be spent on 'Bonzo' or 'Bulky'. Therefore, many
of these owners abandon their pets. Pets which are allowed to run
free are not sweet at all. English farmers lose hundreds of sheep a
year, killed by someone's pet.
You may think that I dislike all pets, but this is not true at all. We
are a nation of pet-lovers. Wouldn't it be betiü to be lovers of
human beings?
