Do We Care For Fifi More Than Our Fellow Man?

By Author: Alex Holland
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It is natural to love our pets. They are cute, cuddly and full of affection. And, unlike humans, dogs and cats are always full of love. When you come home they run up to the door wagging their tails or, (in the case of cats), rub themselves up against you. So, it is not very surprising when pet owners want to return the favor with elaborate gifts.

However, is it possible that pet pampering can go too far? Some pet owners love their animals so much they actually spend more money on Fifi or Fido than they do their human companions. And sometimes this spending can become quite obsessive, especially as more companies cater to these needs.

For instance, the Cliveden Hotel offers a Very Important Pet Package where, (for 425 pounds a night), pets can dine on gourmet food and/or get groomed at the hotels on-site grooming parlour. Nothing is provided for human pet owners though they are welcome to attend the pampering session free-of-charge.

Pet owners can also fork out on designer clothes and beauty accessories. Consider what the store Harrods has experienced as they sell off their pet-related merchandise. Every ...
... year these products alone net the company nearly £1 million. And, oddly enough, most of the merchandise sold is considered cutesy stuff dog coats that are 399 pounds, or 300-pound crystal flexi-leads.

In fact, Harrods has sold so much pet merchandise, they have decided to expand their store. They are looking to add over 11,000 in retail space just for their pet products. And, contrary to what some might believe, a lot of the people that will be browsing this space will be those who are of all class levels.

Of course, regardless of your income level, pet pampering could be acceptable if the humans in your life are pampered just as easily. But more often than not they get forgotten. For instance, there are many pet owners that would pay 500 pounds for a luxury dog house, but would fail to pay even 100 pounds for an engagement ring.

There are other pet owners that would pay 30 pounds for a doggy cake, but would fail to pay even 5 pounds for a childs toy. They may tell the child the toy has to be earned, either through chores or good grades. Nothing is wrong with this type of thinking, but what did the dog do to earn their gourmet cake?

Another example could involve a friend or a loved one that is falling on hard times. For them, 300 or 400 pounds could keep them from being out on the street. But for some pet owners this amount of money would never be available because it was already spent on their animals, (even if it was 5 pounds here, or 10 pounds there). Some have even sabotaged their own financial situation trying to make their pets happy at least thats how it appears on the surface.

In reality, there are other underlying issues behind pet pampering. Ultimately, the designer clothes, beds and other products are more a reflection of the pet owner. Like Paris Hilton, they want to show off their money and get attention from people who think their pet looks cute in their new 399-pound coat.

Why dont such attitudes apply to the human companions in a pet owners life? Well, buying humans gifts does not generate much attention, especially if they are inexpensive. In some cases these gifts could open up a Pandoras Box.

To get a better appreciation, let us go back to the 500-pound luxury dog house scenario mentioned earlier. If the person in the scenario actually did spend this money on an engagement ring, they must now open up a new door in their lives; one that leads to marriage and commitment. The luxury dog house, in contrast, does not lead to anything.

Of course, this is not to say that all pet purchases are overly preppy. Pet insurance is an example. Even though it is considered optional, it helps pet owners save money on their vet bills in the event their animal does get sick. So, it is much more practical than say, a designer dog collar.

With that being said, is it honest to say that many of us care more for Fifi than our fellow man? On the surface it would appear so, but I think it is consumerism that drives the concern. Once we stop fretting about being big shots with merchandise we can not afford, we will come to realize that Fifi or Fido can do just fine with basic pet food and accessories.