[kingpins10]

I love dogs, but to see the way some people treat their pets is just plain old idolatry. It can be sickening at times.

[ErnBatavia]

I grew up in the fifties, and dogs were pets....since then, of course, they've become family members. The mega-pet stores and amount of aisle space in places like Walmart astound me.

Another observation - people seldom have just one; the dog needs "company", after all.

Final observation - the emergence of veterinarians by way of practice growth. I grew up never hearing of dog surgery (other than a busted leg maybe), let alone chemotherapy. I'll bet our childhood vet bill never exceeded 15 bucks.

[sodpoodle]

Paris Hilton comes to mind: some people acquire dogs as fashion accessories. However, many of these folks often become great cat & dog lovers.

Having a pet is good practice for parenthood of real, live children - a way of weeding out the selfish and neglectful.

Better to treat a dog like a baby - than a baby like a dog!

[kearnyirish2]

I used to work for a man that bought sliced roast beef from a deli next door for his 2 dogs (he and his wife had no children, and at least he didn’t want any). I now work with a man who has health insurance for a dog; very creepy (he has grown children, but still - there are people who could use that better than animals).

[JLLH]

“I love dogs, but to see the way some people treat their pets is just plain old idolatry. It can be sickening at times.”

From what I’m seeing in our society, idolatry of children is a far greater problem and one that many Christians and conservatives simply do not recognize, or else they think it’s Biblically justifiable. (It isn’t.)