Monday 22 February 2016

Nation of animal-lovers?

Last week, I read the following:

New research found that:

    More than 1 in 3 British pet owners celebrate their pets birthday
  • 15% sing Happy Birthday to their pet
  • They spend on average £26 on birthday gifts
  • More than half of pets also have their own social media account

These people also dress their pets up in silly outfits, and send them cards. They also receive them.  The oddest greetings card I ever saw bore the merry caption: HAPPY EASTER FROM THE DOG!

Now, I'm as fond of animals as the next person, but this is anthropomorphism gone mad, isn't it? Discussing this with Blue (my horse), I was relieved to find that he was in complete agreement.

"I can't read, and I'm not musical. Singing to me and sending me cards would be ridiculous," he said

"But what about that chocolate from Olly's* Advent calendar last Christmas?" I reminded him.

"I spat it out," he told me.

"Of course you did. I remember. So you don't want an Advent Calendar of your own next Christmas?"

"Don't be silly. I'm a horse."

"So you are. Silly me."

Blue can be very sensible sometimes.

*Olly is Blue's friend in the stable opposite.

23 comments:

  1. I must admit to wishing the dogs Merry Christmas and the horses got a carrot and half an apple extra Christmas morning.
    Animals can't read but then many humans can't either but they can look at the pictures.

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    1. Adrian, you don't have to read to know it's Christmas. Animals don't care about these things. They've got more sense (according to Blue).

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    2. You are correct and so is Blue but I've nobody but the dogs to talk to. Claire pops round now and then but only for an argument.

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  2. Blue is so lucky that he has an owner that doesn't resort to such silly behaviour. Much better that you can have a sensible conversation about the subject.

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  3. I'm pleased to hear you have such a sensible horse, Frances.

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  4. I think Blue is right. If I tried singing to Dusty or Harley, they'd run and hide and if I gave Dusty a card, he'd eat it :-) xx

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    1. Some dogs join in, Teresa, and that is truly terrifying.

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  5. I've loved all my cats dearly, but we never celebrated any of their birthdays, bought them Advent calendars or anything like that.
    Our old black cat Moritz loved Christmas Eve - not because he was particularly religious (although he was very fond of lit candles and would sit and meditate in front of them for hours), but because for him, the pile of wrapping paper gathered on the floor was his favourite playground of all times.

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    1. But Meike, you could have given him paper to play with any time. Why didn't you?

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    2. He had bits of paper to play with all year round, but we would not waste wrapping paper (which is really very different from, say, old newspapers) just so that the cat could play with it.

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  6. I'm not really an animal person and don't have any pets. But most of my family do and I have met a horse locally who is very cool. Have a lovely week Frances.

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    1. Thank you, Nicola. You have a lovely week, too.

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  7. Good to have you back, and with a most amusing post. My dog gets Christmas presents…wrapped of course, but he has not yet become as skilled as my previous dog, who could unwrap a present in about 5 seconds! Cards for the dog would be a step too far, but I have been known to put his name along with mine on a sent card to my boys!

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    1. We get drawn paw marks on our cards Frances, ranging in size for the size of the dog. Very amusing as we don't have pets either!

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    2. Oh dear, Frances. Do I sense the beginnings of a slippery slope?

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  8. I know someone who tries to get me to talk to her dog on the telephone.

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    1. Patsy, I think she needs to see someone about that.

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  9. Blue is very sensible. My friend tries to give her dog treats form an Advent calendar every year and he never eats them. She knows this but still insists on buying him one. Madness. As for dressing animals that is wrong on every level.

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    1. Colette, I couldn't agree more |(Blue sends his best wishes).

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  10. To me this is all very surreal. Mind you I do talk to animals now I come to think of it but I don't expect them to respond and I have no idea why I do it.

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    1. Graham, if I'm serious (perish the thought)talking to a horse does soothe and reassure him. Sometimes. And yelling at him (rare) makes ME feel better. (He got yelled at yesterday, when he barged thought another gate, giving me a new bruise to replace the newly-disappeared old one).

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