Today is just mean…unless you are
creative and have the ability to make your beloved little furry family member
look absolutely ridiculous. Happy National Dress Up Your Pet Day!
For some reason, we seem to be
fascinated with dressing up our pets, similar to what we would have a doll as a
child growing up. I’m not really sure when or why we started doing this. More
often than not, the animals in the many pictures floating around the Internet
look completely miserable in these costumes. So, why do we do it? Well, according
to the BBC, the
“animal clothing/accessory” industry was estimated to bring in something like
$47.5 million dollars (Canadian dollars) in 2012, and that’s just in Britain! By
2015, projections are showing a global worth of $17.2
billion! In a world where millions are trying to make ends meet, how is
this possible??
The origin behind dressing up
animals came from the notion of wanting to protect our furry little friends
from elements of the outdoors. For example, in the middle of the winter, we
tend to place a lot of salt on the road. Well, when we want to take Sparky for
a walk, this salt can actually hurt his little paws. Solution: protective booties.
To me, this makes sense. But somewhere along the line, we went from a means of
protection, to a means of our own personal entertainment. I’m certain dressing
up a wiener dog in a hot dog costume does nothing for its overall welfare.
Sure, it may give us a giggle or two (and leave him/her with a need to a
lifetime of therapy), but what actual purpose does it serve?
I’ll admit, I enjoy the
occasional picture of a cat dressed up as Ragged-Anne, or a dog sportin’ a Yoda
costume, but for the most part they make me uncomfortable. Here’s a “letter”
from a guy who feels very strongly about not dressing up a pet, and apparently also
has a hate on for Chihuahuas.
Note the sweet picture of a Chihuahua with a ridiculous wig, and the fact that
at the end of the article, there is an advertisement to purchase a hoodie for
your pooch!
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