Many of us are aware that life in the Australian outback or on the African Serengeti plains would be very different from those living in the US or Europe. Following that line of thought, dogs also have different “lifestyles” throughout the world and with that, here are some interesting contrasts that may surprise you.
The inclusion of dogs as members of the family is a defining trend for the US pet market today. Retailers are scrambling to address this cultural phenomenon as it plays out in more and more segments of the pet industry. The dogs go on vacation with us. They snuggle with us in our beds. Is it any wonder that Fido now features prominently in thousands of homes across the US? In stark contrast to this, however, the United States is somewhat unique in the fact that we euthanize 2.7 million dogs and cats in shelters each year. We love our pets, however we can’t seem to acknowledge the fact that pets are a huge responsibility and many pet owners, after just a few weeks, give up and let their dog or cat go only to be caught by animal control. official later. Puppy mills, overbreeding, and lack of sterilization are other reasons that continually contribute to this alarming number of pets euthanized annually.
Latin America is fast becoming its neighbor to the north, with a pet care boom equal in many ways to that of the US reaching thousands of households with “more people bringing dogs into their lives as companions, rather than of security”. This trend is mainly attributed to two facts; the rising income of the middle class and a younger demographic that is putting off marriage and family for a dog. Or as they call it there, a “pupanion”. “Chile currently has more dogs per person than any other country.”
Like the United States, Latin America also has its stark contrasts, there is nutrition. For many Latin Americans, having access to large pet stores or even a small mom and pop store is unlikely, so they have no choice but to feed their dogs table scraps. As any vet will tell you, having food scraps as your pet’s only source of nutrition can lead to many health-related complications.
Heading east, “Far East” from America we arrive at China. Here is a country where the ethical treatment of dogs does not have a very humane track record. This is mainly due to the fact that China has no animal welfare laws, which causes and explains much of the controversy surrounding this country when it comes to dogs. Fortunately, this unfortunate trend is changing every day. Animal rights groups, both foreign and domestic in China, are pushing the message about the humane treatment of dogs with three-quarters of China’s population now indicating a desire for better animal welfare protections.
India is by far one of the most interesting places for dogs. Here it is not so much about the owners of the dogs as about the dogs themselves. Most of the dogs in India are strays. Not just a few here and there, but millions. They live with people in city centers across the country. As a result, 36% of the world’s rabies deaths occur in India. Fortunately, this number is declining due in large part to the existence of Humane Society International and a program called Capture, Neuter, Vaccinate & Return (CNVR).
Indian people have great tolerance and compassion for street puppies. Local communities, despite fear of rabies or bites, help these dogs daily by feeding and caring for them when they can. They may not be in a home, yet they are cared for as if they were in one.
Our last stop on this world tour is Saudi Arabia. Here the Islamic culture considers dogs to be “unclean”. As a result, “Saudi citizens are often uncomfortable and fearful around animals.” But attitudes are beginning to change with more affluent families keeping dogs at home, yet they need to be properly classified. Saudi Arabia has an interesting law related to dog ownership. All dogs must be classified as working dogs, such as guard dogs or hunting dogs, otherwise they cannot be kept as pets.” In an interesting contrast to India, the exact opposite exists. In Saudi Arabia, cats run free on the streets and Most Saudis are very fond of them, especially since the Prophet Muhammad loved cats.
Clearly we all live in a very diverse and complex world. Some may say how grateful they are to live where they do, while others may wish they were somewhere else. Cultural relativism, “the grass is always greener” approaches to understanding our world may work for some, but as a wise dog owner once said, “Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you can’t eat it or play with him, just pee on yourself and walk away.”