1. Pet ownership transcends the rational...
2. The pressures of contemporary life favour increased pet ownership.
2.1 Human relationships are now more complex
2.2 Life itself is more unstable and unpredictable
2.3 Society today places strong pressure on us to be "good"
2.4 Loneliness and isolation
2.5 A link with nature
3.Pets deliver intense therapeutic benefits
3.1 A secure and reliable relationship
3.2 A relaxant
3.3 A receptacle and an encouragement for emotional outpouring
3.4 Animals are responsive to contact
3.5 A low investment for a big return
3.6 Structure and ritual
3.7 Facilitators of human contact
3.8 Pets empower
5. Pets play many different roles in the lives of their owners
A Pet as a....
5.1 Teacher of children
5.2 Family member
5.3 Child substitute
5.4 Companion
5.5 Fashion accessory or decoration
5.6 "Brand"
5.7 Demonstration of authority
5.8 Playmate and toy
5.9 Worker
5.10 Money earner
5.11 Pure animal
5.12 Waste bin
6. Pet ownership is pleasantly basic and simple
6.1 There is (usually) a clear master or mistress
6.2 The needs of the pet are easily satisfied
6.3 Indulgence in stereotyping
6.4 The "cave man" instinct
6.5 Primitivism
6.6 Cats have "mystical powers"
6.7 Pet ownership satisfies a deep urge to be in touch with our basic instincts
8. Sometimes pets just become a nuisance ....
8.1 They tie you down
8.2 They cost money
8.3 Some people are allergic to fur
8.4 Pets may fail to live up to the owner's expectations
8.5 Pets can become a heartache
9. Dogs are more emotionally accessible than cats.
9.1 It is easier to have a rewarding relationship with a dog
9.2 "Cats are more discriminating and independent"
9.3 The mysteriousness and sensuality of cats