Is it ethical to anthropomorphize animals anyway? Well I'm not sure but a lot of people including celebrities think it's ok.
The fascination with celebrities in entertainment media has risen to such a great height that these people have become the new royalty. In many cases celebrities are as rich as royalty. The masses will line the streets to catch a glimpse of a movie star in a way that was reserved for visiting royalty in times gone by. I'd never line up for that myself of course...well maybe for King Brad and Queen Angelina, okay Princess Miley as well.
Such is the power of celebrity in media in these times that whatever the stars do, the masses will do. The image of a celebrity holding a small hot pink coloured dog is a poignant example of how animals are used as entertainment by humans. But that was back in the eighties when pretty in pink was "in". There's a new trend in Hollywood that has several celebrities dyeing their dogs green as an ecological fashion statement. People wear what the stars wear and the stars are constantly showered with samples of products from businesses hoping that a star will use a product and drive demand for these products skyward which it often does. Pets and pet accessories are among these products. The copy cat fashion trends run the gambit from clothing and accessories to simply keeping the same kind of pets that celebrities own in order to be fashionable. The small dog fashion trend is obvious on the streets of cities everywhere. Look for example at the long upward trend in Jack Russell terriers because of Eddie on the hit TV sitcom Frasier. But during these times of global warming and economic uncertainty it would be definitely "out" to own a Hummer of a dog. The trend is to Smart dogs like a Chihuahua. Hybrid dogs are big too...or should I say popular. Dyeing small dogs different colours was stepping over the line wasn't it? It looks so unnatural that even those looking to make a fashion statement of the most visually riveting kind were uncomfortable with this...but some people still did it. Alright so if dyeing dogs pink is too much, what is acceptable at the lower end of the pet social ladder. Do you know that gold fish colours are enhanced by fish food additives? Yes! Some fish foods contain products to make goldfish golder. I'm sure some goldfish owners enjoy the individual personalities of their pets but let's face it, a goldfish in a bowl is a living ornament. I guess the goldest goldfish are the most conceited ones and why not?... the best ornaments are gold ones. Are naturally gold goldfish are more desirable than enhanced ones? Can anyone tell the difference? After all, enhancements are big these days!...Maybe not as big as before the market decline. But I digress.
There are earrings for dogs, salons for shampooing, pedicures and even pet perfume! Many a woman's fashion get up would not be complete without a giant knock off purse with a little dog's head poking out of the top. It's right out of control when money is no object. Divathedog.com has dog beds shaped like cars...Furcedes and Furrari of course. Or how about a Paris Hilton nighty or floral dog tank?
Can a dog be humiliated by being forced to wear funny fashion accessories? Would he be less humiliated if the earrings were at least a D colour brilliant cut and nearly flawless and not just cubic zirconia ? At the very least they'd be Swarovski crystal.
How about putting fake reindeer antlers on a dog. That seems harmless doesn't it? And it is the season to be jolly. Would it be better if the antlers were real. Well the Grinch tried it on his dog Max and the poor little bugger pitched face first into the snow! Now that surely is cruelty to animals. Maybe the sense of humiliation varies from dog to dog depending on how dim witted the dog. A Doberman or a German Shepard would surely be mortified but an Afghan Hound might be too stupid to worry about it. The funny thing is that Poodles wear the stupidest things of all and they really pull if off quite well.
It's clear that the richer the owner the more likely the pet is to have name brand clothing. After all, even if Fido can't read labels, the neighbours likely can, depending on the neighbourhood of course.
I'm not influenced at all by the power of celebrity, but my own cat Nicky for example loves Guess and she doesn't seem to care that those jeans make her look fat. I've encouraged her to worry a little more about what others think but this kitten walks her own path.
First Published in The Metro Pet Gazette January 2009
JulianOnePlanet Publications 2009
The fascination with celebrities in entertainment media has risen to such a great height that these people have become the new royalty. In many cases celebrities are as rich as royalty. The masses will line the streets to catch a glimpse of a movie star in a way that was reserved for visiting royalty in times gone by. I'd never line up for that myself of course...well maybe for King Brad and Queen Angelina, okay Princess Miley as well.
Such is the power of celebrity in media in these times that whatever the stars do, the masses will do. The image of a celebrity holding a small hot pink coloured dog is a poignant example of how animals are used as entertainment by humans. But that was back in the eighties when pretty in pink was "in". There's a new trend in Hollywood that has several celebrities dyeing their dogs green as an ecological fashion statement. People wear what the stars wear and the stars are constantly showered with samples of products from businesses hoping that a star will use a product and drive demand for these products skyward which it often does. Pets and pet accessories are among these products. The copy cat fashion trends run the gambit from clothing and accessories to simply keeping the same kind of pets that celebrities own in order to be fashionable. The small dog fashion trend is obvious on the streets of cities everywhere. Look for example at the long upward trend in Jack Russell terriers because of Eddie on the hit TV sitcom Frasier. But during these times of global warming and economic uncertainty it would be definitely "out" to own a Hummer of a dog. The trend is to Smart dogs like a Chihuahua. Hybrid dogs are big too...or should I say popular. Dyeing small dogs different colours was stepping over the line wasn't it? It looks so unnatural that even those looking to make a fashion statement of the most visually riveting kind were uncomfortable with this...but some people still did it. Alright so if dyeing dogs pink is too much, what is acceptable at the lower end of the pet social ladder. Do you know that gold fish colours are enhanced by fish food additives? Yes! Some fish foods contain products to make goldfish golder. I'm sure some goldfish owners enjoy the individual personalities of their pets but let's face it, a goldfish in a bowl is a living ornament. I guess the goldest goldfish are the most conceited ones and why not?... the best ornaments are gold ones. Are naturally gold goldfish are more desirable than enhanced ones? Can anyone tell the difference? After all, enhancements are big these days!...Maybe not as big as before the market decline. But I digress.
There are earrings for dogs, salons for shampooing, pedicures and even pet perfume! Many a woman's fashion get up would not be complete without a giant knock off purse with a little dog's head poking out of the top. It's right out of control when money is no object. Divathedog.com has dog beds shaped like cars...Furcedes and Furrari of course. Or how about a Paris Hilton nighty or floral dog tank?
Can a dog be humiliated by being forced to wear funny fashion accessories? Would he be less humiliated if the earrings were at least a D colour brilliant cut and nearly flawless and not just cubic zirconia ? At the very least they'd be Swarovski crystal.
How about putting fake reindeer antlers on a dog. That seems harmless doesn't it? And it is the season to be jolly. Would it be better if the antlers were real. Well the Grinch tried it on his dog Max and the poor little bugger pitched face first into the snow! Now that surely is cruelty to animals. Maybe the sense of humiliation varies from dog to dog depending on how dim witted the dog. A Doberman or a German Shepard would surely be mortified but an Afghan Hound might be too stupid to worry about it. The funny thing is that Poodles wear the stupidest things of all and they really pull if off quite well.
It's clear that the richer the owner the more likely the pet is to have name brand clothing. After all, even if Fido can't read labels, the neighbours likely can, depending on the neighbourhood of course.
I'm not influenced at all by the power of celebrity, but my own cat Nicky for example loves Guess and she doesn't seem to care that those jeans make her look fat. I've encouraged her to worry a little more about what others think but this kitten walks her own path.
First Published in The Metro Pet Gazette January 2009
JulianOnePlanet Publications 2009
