Can you imagine spending $400-500 a week to send a dog to day-care while you’re at work? I can’t. My dog is at home where pets are supposed to be. I know people at work who are doing this. This costs more than day-care for 'actual' humans.
I’m not sure if this is just an L.A. thing or is spreading to other parts of the country, but if you can make this much watching dogs while its “pet-parents” are at work, well, maybe I should be getting into that business. Because there are a ton of suckers out there.
I just can’t stop thinking about this – it really bothers me now being a parent (of a human). When did pets become humans all of a sudden? I’ve always had a dog, took care of it, played, walks, etc. I really like animals but I don’t see them as a human equals especially that are in need of day-care.
If my dog and a stranger were drowning in a river, as much as I love my dog, I would definitely save the human first, then get my dog. When I asked pet-parents this (older people with no kids) they have to really think about it.
The people who spend this kind of cash don’t have any kids of course, yeah I know - but the ‘the Pug is her baby’!! Maybe they need to spend the money on something. I should tell them I need a Porsche, or maybe a trip to Fiji – or both! Because if they’re spending that kind of cash, money must be no object or they’ve got their priorities mixed up.
15 comments:
Hi Tony,
I totally agree! I find people comparing having pets to having babies thoroughly annoying... and if they have that much money to burn, why not help out some HUMANS instead! UGH
Maybe they could send some of their extra money over this way. I do see the need to have someone come let your dog out if you work terribly long hours, but an entire day care thing is disturbing!
Doggy Day Care? At $500/week? Holy crap! What is happening in this world? These people need a good kick in the ass.
My boss has a pooch he and his wife treat like a human- and they have three kids. But he's rich, so I guess it wouldn't really matter to him. He brings the dog to work, he gets a sitter while he's away (no daycare his wife stays home) and the dog gets groomed twice a week. I wish I had that dog's good life...
I find it ridiculous.
Part of me doesn't understand the whole "a dog is a man's best friend" because I don't have one. I can say that kids are absolutely different and we need to keep in mind that animals are just not equal to us in so many ways. I know PETA hates me, but I'm willing to go out on a limb and being politcally incorrect about that.
I think most of all that spending $400-500 per week on a dog is a byproduct of a rich culture with pretty interesting values. I don't think we see this type of thing in many other countries in the world. In fact, at some taco stands in Baja, I'm pretty sure that Fido was being eaten for 75 cents rather than being pampered at 400-500 dollars (and he sure does taste good).
i want a puppy so i can leave it at home while i work. lol
We seem to be on the same wavelength today when it comes to pet blogging. Cheers!
You're doing this to provoke me, aren't you? :)
I agree that the whole "pet parent"/"doggie babies" thing is getting out of hand. But I ran a successful doggie daycare before my daughter was born and for real dog owners it's not just about over-indulging our pampered pooches, but getting the dogs the exercise and socialization they need. I will spare you the statistics on what happens to under-socialized, under-exercised dogs. You can thank me later.
Bottom line, if the place is good it's worth the price (we charged $22 a day, but I don't live in LA) for a couple days a week.
They have crazy ass doggy day care/doggy spas in NYC, too. In fact, some doggy spas have shuttles that pick up and drop off the dogs (because the owners are too busy). People baby their dogs way too much, I agree. Dogs are pets and it is OK to have them stay home while you're away. If you feel sorry that your dog is cooped up in your 400 sq ft apartment all day, then maybe you shouldn't have a dog... What also bugs me is how people buy all sorts of fancy clothes for their dogs. Burberry jackets and jeweled collars???
This post really got me to thinking. Perhaps we need a pet. After all, girl.imp just counted up, bathed and marked her 48 pet rocks the other day.
boy.imp is adopting bugs to bring into the house (dead, alive...somewhere inbetween, it does not really seem to matter).
As for actually paying somebody to keep my pet and have me pay for the privilege..?
I think not...
chanchow - dog spas??? So what, do they get facials too. That's crazy!
mrs chicky - once in awhile, ok, I can see it. But everyday...? That's just weird.
My neighbours spend more on their dog's clothing than I do on my daughter's.
They also have a super-fancy bike trailor for the dog. Would it be wrong to borrow it for the baby?
I have mixed feelings about this thing. I have raised 2 kids, and 4 dogs. The dogs are generally easier to get along with...haha.
I could write volumes about how the company of animals is preferable to alot of people in this world, but I will restrain myself since I am clearly outnumbered here...haha. But what I WILL say is that working in a doggy daycare would be an absolute DREAM of a job for me. I don't think there is enough money in the world to make me want to take care of other people's kids all day long though. Too bad doggy daycare probably wouldn't go over all that well in this part of the world, or I would seriously consider starting one up. Woof, Woof!
There's doggy day care here in Florida but I don't know the cost (I never inquired).
Dude...my sister is a pet-parent, which, in her case is just a nice euphemism for kidless nutjob.
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