Are People Too Obsessed With Pets?

CHARLOTTE, NC — A California columnist is in the doghouse after writing a recent op-ed piece for the San Diego Union Tribune where he said dogs were parasites, not man’s best friend.

Chris Reed cites a bunch of stuff, but his main argument rests on a 1999 article and 2000 book both called “The Truth About Dogs.”

The author of those pieces asserts that long ago, humans didn’t domesticate wolves but rather that “Proto-dogs” long ago figured out to how to con humans. They would then mooch off them so they didn’t have to fight for survival in the wild.

Pets are big business nowadays, and the American Pet Products Association says Americans spent $69.5 billion on their pets in 2017. That includes some wild stuff like dog facials, home-delivery human-grade food, aromatherapy and pet life coaches.

In 2011, pet owners even spent $62 million on plastic surgery for their pets.

Tonight we’re asking you… Are People Too Obsessed With Pets?