– CANINES VERSUS FELINES FOR HUMAN COMPANIONSHIP

Dogs have been the companion animal of choice for generations in America. President Harry S. Truman was once quoted as saying “Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of the country as Wall street and the railroads.” The canine has been a staple of modern life, just as the majority of people own a car and television. The majority of adults with pet’s, have disclosed that not only do they spend more on their dogs than they would on their cat, they consider them more as a child, instead of a pet. Because the majority of families with children consist of friendly, sociable, well rounded individuals, dogs are the companion animal of choice. There are monetary sacrifices made by humans when an animal is added to the family. A companion animal will need regular veterinary care, just as a child needs a pediatrician. A canine will require vaccinations that protect him from illness and disease as well as protect the family from disease. While a canine is required by law to be inoculated against rabies, and must be constrained by a fence or on a leash, a feline is not required to be vaccinated, nor do they have any restraints placed on them. Rabies is an often fatal devastating disease, transmitted through mice, rats, bats, and squirrels, all of which are cats preferred food of choice. A feline will require a litter box and litter in which the animal relieves itself, often times missing the box. A cat will also require some form of cat tree or post to try to train the animal to scratch its claws on, instead of all the furniture in the house. Buying bedding for the feline is optional because they will choose where and when they sleep, usually on a countertop or the dining room table. Food and treats for cats or dogs are generally equal in cost, outside of the weekly purchase of cat litter, the recurring costs are comparable. When a family chooses to add a canine to their home, there is generally joy in shopping as a family to get all the new accessories needed, as well as all of the extra little things that they buy to spoil their new addition. I work in the garden department of Wal-mart, right next to the pet department. This gives me the opportunity to assist many shoppers each day with their pet product purchase decisions. I would estimate that 9 out of 10 customers shopping for pet treats are shopping for their dog, many showing me a picture of their “baby” when at the check stand. The majority of customers shopping for products for felines are usually looking for cheap food to feed feral cats, or searching for repellant to keep cats out of their yards. If there are times when the family will be gone for an extensive amount of time, many people decide to have a pet sitter care for their canine companion, or take him to a doggy daycare facility on their way to work. Cat owners usually leave their pets unattended because this is the way a cat prefers to live. They are independent creatures that will seek humans out when they want to and their priority in life is fulfilling their needs with no regard to their owners or family. When a family has younger children it is much more feasible to choose a canine companion instead of a feline. A dog will grow with and become attached to all family members, as will the family to the dog. Families are in general, loving, nurturing companions that demonstrate a need to love and be loved. They consist of individuals that enjoy the responsibility of taking care of things, instead of considering responsibility a burden. Children brought up in a family environment, often relate to their dog as they would their best friend and closest confident. When they are sad or need to