Quote Originally Posted by IRescue452
We say we love pets more, but more animals than ever are in shelters.
I think the article summed it up sorta with these sentences....

While farmers may have kept cats to rid their barns of mice and dogs to herd or help with hunting, keeping an animal solely as a companion was something for which only the wealthy had the free time and disposable income.

But as the American middle class emerged and grew in the 20th century, all of that changed and pets, like cars and TV sets, became something that anyone could have.

"More people have discretionary time, discretionary income," Beck said. "So you don't have to be one of the upper echelon to have a pet."

Adding to this was the changing notion of what constituted the typical American family, which was shaped by how families were portrayed on TV and in the movies. In addition to a mom, dad and kids, these fictional families had a dog and cat, sending the message that pets were an essential part of home life.

I think many people get a pet simply because they CAN rather than thinking about it as a responsibility that may last 10-20 years. So many people regard owning pets as no more complicated than feeding it (cheapest food available), giving it water, and a cage or pen to live in. They don't seem to realize there is so much more responsibility than that to PROPERLY owning a pet.