I am writing today to express some concern about the
increased rate of pet ownership in America. This has led to a decline in our
moral and social outlook. It seems that there is influx of pet ownership in
America in recent years. No longer is man man’s friend but man’s best friend-
the dog- has taken precedence. People seem to prefer owning dogs rather than
socializing with their neighbors. A lot more people are relying on
companionship with dogs rather than companionship with other people. This is a
serious moral decline. We need people to unite rather than own large hulking
dogs that look threatening. People are more fond of their pit bulls than of
their neighbors or friends. Why is this occurring? It seems that the pet market
has flooded our communities with more pets than ever before. We need some kind
of regulation to curb pet ownership in America. People need to socialize more,
be more outgoing, attend gatherings and events, have more social contact,
venture out to go to theaters and parties, rather than stay at home with their
dogs. Hyper pet ownership is slowly deteriorating our culture. We need to create
more incentives for people to be more outgoing and sociable, rather than owning
pets. In some cultures, pets are not allowed inside the home. So why are
American’s owning pets en masse? Serious thought must be given to this matter.
We must recognize that owning pets creates distance among people in our
communities, might be threatening to others since we are always walking our
dogs rather than walking with friends, creates estrangement in our communities
and is flatly sometimes, creepy and withdrawn. We need to regulate our pet
economy from infiltrating our communities with too many dogs. It seems that
more people are walking dogs these days than going to the movies or a social
event. This should give concern to our lawmakers. At a time, when violence is
escalating in our communities, and we need to bring communities together, people
are exhibiting a defensive attitude by owning more dogs than ever before. More
dogs are congregating in the streets than people who have likeminded values and
principles. Also, we do not know if such a rapid incline has even led to a more
humane treatment of dogs. Are novice dog owners even humane to their dogs? Do
they even know proper handling, care and upkeep? This is serious topic that
should concern even animal rights activists. It seems that people are running
to pet stores to own dogs to fight depression and inertia- creating a social
wall that says “don’t bother me” and “I am not accessible right now” and other
mixed signals. We really need to highlight the fact that dog ownership is a privilege
and should not be a mass cultural craze. We need to curtail the ownership of
dogs by regulating the market for dogs, and advocating more humane treatment
and enabling our society to be more culturally progressive. We are harming our
social and cultural values when we see the rampant ownership of dogs rather
than the integration of communities and creating more estrangement and
alienation. I hope you will fight for the reduction of dog ownership in
America.
