I’ve had women identify themselves as pet parents, showing off pictures of their pets in costume when I showed pictures of my human children in costume.
Nowhere more than in Japan has that taken hold. It is....pathetic and sad.
They will put the dogs in elaborate clothes, fit for a child, and then push them around in baby buggies.
It makes the question of WHAT (actually who) is missing ALL THE MORE OBVIOUS AND PAINFUL.
I have seen it VERY many times, and it is foreboding and ominous.
The trend is so widespread that they have entire hot-springs devoted ONLY to dogs --I have been to these.
You know how some women like to meet as friends and they drag their husbands along, sort of like a "play date"..?
Much worse is the Japanese equivalent, where the married (and childless) humans come together, and in silence dejectedly watch the dogs play together.
It's pitiful. I LOOOOVE dogs, but they are OBVIOUSLY no substitute.