During the course of their conversations, many respondents referred to the amount of time, effort and money they spend on caring for their pets, in comparison with the somewhat more slap-dash approach of previous generations. In the past, people may have cared about their animals, but they are thought to have been less willing to physically care for them to the extent that many owners claim to do today.
The "old school" of pet care is thought to have been typified by minimal vet care, no vaccinations or "poofy" pet accessories, no canned food, unwanted pups or kittens drowned, desexing carried out by the gumboot-and-knife method and no registration. Some of these practices still survive, especially in the country, and on occasions the opinion was expressed that "it's not natural for animals to have all this done to them today".
"I was brought up in the bush. In those days, if it was no good, you shot it".
"My father used to dig a hole, hit them on the head with a spade and then shove them in".
"My father-in-law had different sized boots for different sized dogs and cats".
"I've always had dogs and I've always treated them hard. I don't get attached to them".
"Years ago men had rifles more. There was no hesitation about people despatching them themselves, but now we take them along to the vet to do it".
Today, the existence of pet psychologists, luxuriously appointed dog and cat kennels and the wide range of pet accessories which are available are cited as further evidence of the caring lengths to which some owners will go. While some respondents clearly felt all of this was going a bit far, others obviously take it seriously.
"The vet on Burke's Back Yard is often good with his psychology of cats, they might be insecure"
"There's a wonderful gift shop in South Yarra called 'Just Cats'. She had a seminar on Thursday on animal psychologists. She's got cat china and cat pictures in her shop worth hundreds of dollars".
"Cats are big business. I buy an American magazine called Cat Fancy you should see what you can buy" "I'm a cat collector, and most of my expensive jewellery has cats on it".
"We've taken our dog to stay at Sparrows In the Tree Tops. It's a five-star hotel. We're going camping and she'll have a heated trampoline bed, piped music and three meals a day. I was looking for the television in the corner!"
"I bought him a trampoline for his arthritis and he won't sleep on it".
Some breeders are believed to check the suitability of potential owners - further evidence perhaps of how owning a pet has gained status today as a form of parenting.
"You go to a pedigree breeder and it's like getting a credit card. They really check you out".
Respondents often complained volubly and at length about the cost of veterinary care, while nevertheless usually being willing (reluctantly) to part with the money. Indeed, in some instances, a vet seems to have been chosen with as much care as one would choose a doctor.
"We drive miles to get a really good vet. There's a nice young woman in Kew who's very gentle".
"One bad experience at the vet can give your dog a phobia. We choose a vet for our animals the same way we choose a doctor for ourselves".
"We had our dog put down with a needle. It cost $99 but it was better than bringing her home to die".
"She's a $400 dog, what with the cost of the injections and everything, so we send her to the kennels when we go away. What's the point of hoping the next door neighbour will look after her?".
"If you're going to have a dog, it's all the way with the injections and everything, or nothing".
"This heartworm is a worry, you have to watch out for that. It's going to be like cancer or Aids is for humans, a devastating blow".
"Rusty was bitten by a snake and the anti-venom cost $200. I thought I can't go home and say I decided not to pay $200, so I paid".
Dietary requirements were the source of much discussion as well. While canned food is clearly the mainstay of many pets' diets, there are also owners who are willing to go to the trouble of preparing cooked food specifically for their pets. It is a source of pride to some owners that they are prepared to go to the effort of mixing vegetables, rice, and specially cooked meat, fish or chicken for their pets. It is as if their pets are somehow more discriminating if they are fussy; if weight reduction or just variety are behind such effort, it is clear evidence in the owner's eyes of what good "parents" they are. As in human relationships, food and its preparation is a symbol of caring as much as a function.
"Our dogs get fed raw meat and canned food".
"Tinned food, especially cheap tinned food, can make them fat. I'm prepared to spend more".
"We cook up hamburger mince, rice and vegies for our dog, and dried food, but not much because it makes them blow up. We don't give 'em raw meat because people use that for baits".
"A bone every morning is good for tartar".
What constitutes a good diet for an animal is also a wonderful source of prejudices and old wives tales (some of which may even have some truth in them!)
"Don't give 'em raw meat because then they like (human) flesh".
"If you give them raw bones, they'll attack kids".
"If you give cats raw meat, it stops them getting into the birds".
Overall, there are indications of a greater sensitivity than in the past to the needs of pets, both physical and emotional, and of a greater willingness to be responsible. Owners seem prepared to spend more, in terms of time and effort as well as money, possibly because in the context of contemporary life the benefits of doing so are so great, and so obvious. For many owners, the rewards they receive for their care outweigh the inherent irritations. The therapeutic benefits of ownership for those living alone, in broken homes or indeed in any situation, are justification alone.
"These days we live better and so do they".
"Twenty years ago the ads. (for pet food) were more factual and earthy, now it's different. Now it's into fantasy land because we pay so much more attention to them".