SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
The recent popularity of "designer" dogs, cats, micro-pigs and other pets may seem to suggest that pet keeping is no more than a fad. Indeed, it is often assumed that pets are a Western affectation, a weird relic of the working animals kept by communities of the past.
About half of the households in Britain alone include some kind of pet; roughly 10m of those are dogs while cats make up another 10m. Pets cost time and money, and nowadays bring little in the way of material benefits. But during the 2008 financial crisis, spending on pets remained almost unaffected, which suggests that for most owners pets are not a luxury but an integral and deeply loved part of the family.
Some people are into pets, however, while others simply aren't interested. Why is this the case? It is highly probable that our desire for the company of animals actually goes back tens of thousands of years and has played an important part in our evolution. If so, then genetics might help explain why a love of animals is something some people just don't get.
[...] The pet-keeping habit often runs in families: this was once ascribed to children coming to imitate their parents' lifestyles when they leave home, but recent research has suggested that it also has a genetic basis. Some people, whatever their upbringing, seem predisposed to seek out the company of animals, others less so.
Is the desire to keep pets really hard-wired in our DNA?
(Score: 2) by SanityCheck on Sunday October 01 2017, @05:57PM (2 children)
I can hardly disagree with parent. I have two cats and I love animals in general, and god damn do they trigger me all the time with their endless cycle. And before anyone says "but litter box," you fucking clean it man. It's been 10 years, so I have another 10 to go before they hit the bucket, after that I'm not getting anything but a fucking modified Romba that says Good Morning. At least I'll have one fucking pet that cleans up after itself.
And no, I did not get the animals, they were get this "a gift" to my wife by her brother. Also known to me as the most irresponsible person on the fucking planet. "Oh I know what I will get her, 20 years of responsibility!" Jesus Christ, some people are too fucking stupid to exist.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by takyon on Sunday October 01 2017, @07:45PM
You just have to toilet train the cats. [vetstreet.com]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 03 2017, @02:38PM
http://flavorwire.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/roomba.jpg [wordpress.com]