Join in our Talking Point – should pets ever be dressed up?
Should pets ever be dressed up?
CHRISTMAS is a time for dressing up and having fun. Most of us love getting out the glad rags and applying the party make-up, but how far do our festive preparations extend to our pets?
This year alone, pet owners in the United States were estimated to have spent around half a billion dollars on dressing up their pets for Hallowe’en. Photos of pets in costumes are shared widely on social media, and – judging by the number of “likes” they receive – it’s clear that people love to see them.
Even before social media, it wasn’t unknown for folks to pop a hat on a pet for a quick snapshot in a moment of harmless fun.
And pet garments have been around for years. A shivering greyhound might need a cosy coat on a winter’s day. A reflective jacket for walks on dark nights is often sensible.
These days you can walk into any pet superstore or go online and choose from a huge range of elaborate fancy-dress costumes for your beloved companion.
Want to make your pug look like Superman? There’s an outfit for that.
Dress up your dachsie as a hot dog? Yep, you can do that, too.
But should you? Can you dress up an animal and allow it to keep its dignity?
A loving owner will usually be in tune with their pet, and even a loyal, obliging dog will have ways of showing it’s not happy.
The animal’s interests must always be the main concern: no pet should be expected to wear something that makes it uncomfortable – physically or emotionally – simply for its owner’s entertainment. ■