I have had dogs all my life. Since I was a child. I enjoyed each of them. They were each good pets in their own way. But, I will never ever understand the overly emotional attachment some people put upon a pet animal.
I have found that the vast majority of people who bestow an overly emotional attachment, and attribute an overly human attachment to animals, whether dogs or other animals have issues.
Dogs are for the most part loyal and devoted ANIMALS. That said, they are ANIMALS. They serve a purpose. Most serve that purpose well. But, they are ANIMALS. They are NOT humans. They are NOT our CHILDREN. Those giving them this status or nearly so is disturbing.
I find people who do not feel loss of a pet they’ve had for a long time to be the ones with issues.
Why does it disturb you so much? And what do you consider ‘overly human’? There are a lot of lonely people to whom a pet animal IS family.
I think that people who dearly love their animals aren’t the only ones with ‘issues’. I’d certainly prefer one of them in a foxhole with me, than someone who discounts that devotion as ‘disturbing’.
For many people, the love of and for an animal can be revelatory in many areas important to HUMAN life.
“But, I will never ever understand the overly emotional attachment some people put upon a pet animal.”
That would be because a piece of you is missing.
It’s been said that Man domesticated the dog.
I’d say, the opposite is what happened.
Igree aith your comment on over attachment to animals. Now that you have “Poked the bear” ,Good luck keeping your good name. Mention a pit bulls and the dog psychophants act like trayvon martin supporters!. p.s. I once had a Jack russle that vot bit by a copper head, the dr. want 1300 for anyi emnom. , guess what , the dog survivd without . I also had one that got run over, i spent over 2 grand in medical bills.
I loved both of them. So I have compassion.
My son and his wife cannot have children and cannot afford to adopt. Their pets are as close as they are going to get to having kids. It breaks their hearts when one of their pets die, but they get a rescue replacement as soon as possible, and it helps.