Pet ownership

It has been noted in a recent survey that ownership of pets has fallen dramatically. Just look at the figures:

In 2000, Australians kept 4 million dogs as companions. By this year, the number has dropped to 2.75 million, a plunge of 31 per cent. Cat numbers also declined over the same period, from 3.2 million to 2.3 million, a fall of 28 per cent.

Do consider, many scholarly studies have measured and confirmed positive roles that companion animals play in health and social life such as animal owners having lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, higher survival rates after serious illness and suffering less from loneliness or depression. It is also well known that companion animals tend to enhance family life.

It is a sad state of affairs as pets are being increasingly pushed aside by the accelerating pace of modern life - more technology, less time - and humans are no longer inclined to make effort for the altruism required to keep dogs exercised and cats engaged.