Pampering Pets
By Prabhat Mukherjee
Here in Calgary, Canada we have a large Indian community who like to invite one another for dinner on the weekends. This is a great pasttime for those who made Diasporas to a country of harsh climate.
On one such occasion I was inviting a friend of mine for dinner at my home when he told me that he could not attend the party as the next day early in the morning, he had to take his dog for a school examination. School examination for a dog?
It came as a rude shock to me. Later I learnt that here it was normal for the pets to go to schools where they undergo training and take examinations to qualify for various grades such as kindergarten, elementary, middle level, etc., the same way as a humans.
The history of Western civilization is decorated with syrupy images of cute, cuddly animals displayed to manipulative effect. In Korea too I have seen during the later part of my stay, a growing number of women with pets in shopping malls and other public places like parks.
Koreans tend to prefer cuddly dogs, unlike the bigger ones found in North America or in Europe. I sometimes discovered with surprise that the Korean ladies were overprotective when some curious kids approached the dog to touch it.
The lady would show her annoyance by telling the kid that his presence was not liked by the pet and the pet was frightened.
I have not seen in Korea the vast array and varieties of pet shops, training schools, and beauty spas that I see in Canada. While the idea of sending the family pet to a pet spa may have been considered a gimmick a decade ago, such animal beauty outlets are now a growing trend across the world.
The keyword here is "family.'' Canadians now refer to the pets as companions and family members. Many pet owners call themselves "pet parents.'' There were a few crazy people in the feudal world a few decades ago who prized their pets and lavished them with luxuries.
In our childhood we saw some period movies from Bollywood that showed feudal lords marrying-off their pets with great pomp and show. But today it is fair to say that domestic dogs and cats have gone through an evolution of status, from animal to pet and family member.
Today's pet shop is part high-end boutique, part learning center, and part community hangout. When you go away on holiday, business or perhaps into hospital ― you need not worry about your pets. While you're away pet shops provide pet sitters who take care of your pets.
A few decades back, when traveling, it used to be a hard proposition to find hotels that allowed pets. Now, pets are not just allowed in some hotels, they get royal treatment. Some hotels welcome pets with special pet pillows, toys, even a licensed doggie masseuse.
Psychologists and fortunetellers for pets are no longer bizarre thoughts. There are schools exams, which the pets have to undergo. My friend's smiling dog was disqualified for one year as he answered the question too eagerly without waiting for his turn.
For those who wish to keep their pets at home, there are even toys designed to keep them occupied and special DVDs for their entertainment.
Many owners like my friend take their pets to a doggie daycare for play and exercise and socializing. Cats are less social and hence they stay home. It is said that a dog boosts the ego of the pet owner while a cat deflates it.
There are pools to cool off when it is hot outside. You even have Reiki therapy for curing the aches and pains of pets. Burial and memorial services are available for them and for pet owners who do not like the burial of their loved pets; taxidermy is available as an alternative.
There is an explosion of luxury and designer pet products today. Staple products, such as bowls, collars, leashes, toys, beds and crates have gone through design transformations to make them more stylish, comfortable, safer or smarter. And they come with high price tags.
In today's world of affluenza, pets are having their best time.
I was suddenly reminded of a story I read in my childhood. A poor schoolteacher in an Indian village used to give home tuition to the son of a rich landlord. The schoolteacher used to get 10 rupees (Indian currency) per month for the tuition.
One day the pet dog of the landlord broke one of his legs and the cost of treatment was 10 rupees. The poor teacher later lamented that he himself was worth a leg of an animal.
In today's scenario, the poor man if he lived now, would not be able to count how many lives he would have to live to become worth the leg of a pampered pet.
Prabhat Mukherjee resides in Calgary, Canada, working for an oil and gas company.