06/04/2025

theSunday Special IX ON SUNDAY APRIL 6, 2025

T HEY’RE cuddly, they’re loyal, and they don’t roll their eyes at our jokes; no wonder we love our pets. %XW EHKLQG WKH SHW VHO¿HV JRXUPHW biscuits and tiny raincoats, there’s a TXLHW TXHVWLRQ HFKRLQJ ORXGHU LQ UHFHQW \HDUV $UH ZH JLYLQJ RXU SHWV WKH OLIH WKH\ GHVHUYH RU the one that suits us best? L HW¶V EH KRQHVW 0RVW RI XV GLGQ¶W JURZ XS ZLWK SHWV ZKR KDG HOHFWULF ZDWHU IRXQWDLQV DQG ODYHQGHU VFHQWHG JURRPLQJ ZLSHV $ ERZO D OHDVK DQG PD\EH WKH RFFDVLRQDO ÀHD EDWK ZHUH WKH H[WHQW RI WKH WRRONLW %XW WKLQJV KDYH FKDQJHG 7RGD\ SHWV DUH PRUH WKDQ FRPSDQLRQV ± OLIHVW\OH DFFHVVRULHV VRFLDO PHGLD FRQWHQW DQG HPRWLRQDO VXSSRUW $QG ZKLOH WKHUH¶V QRWKLQJ ZURQJ ZLWK VKRZHULQJ love on a creature who can’t even pronounce \RXU QDPH LW¶V ZRUWK FKHFNLQJ LI RXU ORYH KDV VWDUWHG WR ORRN PRUH OLNH FRQWURO T KH SDQGHPLF SOD\HG D ELJ SDUW LQ VKLIWLQJ how we view pets. Locked indoors, with little KXPDQ FRQWDFW PDQ\ WXUQHG WR DQLPDOV IRU FRPIRUW %XW ¿YH \HDUV RQ ZH¶YH UH HPHUJHG LQWR RXU EXV\ OLYHV ± DQG QRW HYHU\RQH KDV PDQDJHG WKH WUDQVLWLRQ JUDFHIXOO\ 6RPH SHWV RQFH WKH FHQWUH RI DWWHQWLRQ DUH QRZ OHIW DORQH IRU KRXUV DV RZQHUV UHWXUQ WR RɤFH OLIH $QLPDO VKHOWHUV KDYH VHHQ D QHZ NLQG RI VXUUHQGHU QRW GXH WR FUXHOW\ EXW VKHHU RYHUZKHOP 7XUQV RXW D OLYLQJ EUHDWKLQJ DQLPDO GRHVQ¶W MXVW VLW VWLOO OLNH \RXU GHFRUDWLYH IHUQ Apartment life: Not quite animal kingdom T KHUH¶V DOVR WKH PDWWHU RI VSDFH 8UEDQ KRPHV DUH VKULQNLQJ EXW RXU SHW GUHDPV UHPDLQ ODUJH

There’s a line between affection and projection. It’s lovely to love your pet, but part of that love should include understanding what makes them tick. And recognise that their needs and preferences might not always mirror ours.”

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