We all know people who like dressing up their pets and in some cases buy the same clothes for themselves and their pets. Buying a coat or a jacket is still okay but painting your dog’s nails or dying its fur to match your season’s wardrobe is just wrong. It is a form of animal cruelty and people who do this to their pets must be punished. People initially start with buying fancy collars for their pet and from there it escalades. Soon they get addicted to ‘decorating’ their pet. Most people think of their pets as substitute for their future kids and start dressing them in the same way they would dress their children. People get inspired from celebrities like Paris Hilton who have an entirely different wardrobe for their dogs. They carry their dogs like Chihuahuas in small handbags and purses and dress them up in rather fashionable clothes. How do people know whether their pets like wearing clothes or not? They surely couldn’t have asked their pets. Dogs tend to please their owners and maybe that is why they put up with such frivolous owners who love dressing them up in uncomfortable shoes and suits.
I think dogs should not be wearing clothes unless it’s for medicinal or professional reasons. For example if your dog or cat suffers from some skin problems making him wear a protective coat is acceptable or if you have small dogs that have a fine coat that need a protective covering in winter. Other than these reasons dressing up your cats and dogs for any other reason is just not right. Dogs love running across fields, playing with other dogs, rolling on leaves and wading into streams and pools. How can a dog who is all dressed up in a bejeweled tracksuit be comfortable in doing all that? It would just prevent your dog from enjoying. Why is that when dogs and cats have been provided with such beautiful and soft coats do people think it is necessary to dress them up like humans? They are different for a reason and we must respect their natural appearance. All this just makes you think if the owners are conscious of their own image rather than of their pet. They treat their pets like a fashion item or accessory. Most people may be doing it without even realizing it. For them buying clothes and accessories for their pets makes them think that they are treating their pets like royalty but in reality their pets would be much happier if they weren’t made to wear shoes and clothes. Even if they didn’t do it, their pets would still love them unconditionally. Animals don’t care about the latest fashion; they just want their owner’s love.
There is always a constant debate on whether it is right or wrong to dress up your pets. While some may say that certain breeds like the Chinese crested and the poodle will suffer from a cold if a winter jacket isn’t provided to them others say that something which starts from a winter jacket may soon become a tutu. Imagine the horror of seeing a dog walk up the streets in a leopard printed leotard or in a cheerleader’s uniform. Not only is it uncomfortable for our pets but is also causes aggression in dogs. Now a days organizers in dog shows with the aim for earning a bigger profit have turned simple dog shows into fancy dress competitions. The owners of pets take these events seriously and dress up their dog as much as they can. A simple parka or jacket doesn’t hurt but dying your dog’s fur or giving it a manicure is just wrong. The competitions include events like funkiest hair do, pimped pooch and bling -iest bitch. Isn’t doing all this to your pet just another form of animal cruelty? Why do your pets need to go through these procedures? All this sometimes makes you wonder if all this is just a way for owners to fulfill something which lacks in them. Our dogs and cats are not dolls. The Beckhams were criticized a few years back for giving their bulldog, coco a pink manicure. People look up to celebrities and follow them blindly. So when Paris Hilton goes around carrying her Chihuahua in a handbag, people blindly follow her and buy Chihuahuas without even thinking if they can keep a dog or not. Dogs are our companion for life and not an arm candy whom we can buy when in fashion and then abandon when we are bored or it goes out of fashion.
Dying your pet’s fur and giving it a manicure can cause your pet to have chemical burns and skin irritation. So before you get caught up in the latest fashion make sure you realize the fact that your pet is a living animal and not merely a fashion accessory. You might think it is cool to dress up your pet but your pet might think of it as a punishment and might feel uncomfortable and uneasy. There is a very thin line between animal fashion and animal cruelty so make sure you aren’t crossing it in your desire to be fashionable. Remember your pet comes first. They are your responsibility for life and it is your duty to take care of them and love them.