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Pixabay.com
A new study in the UK and the US has found that people who own
pets have a higher chance at mixing and socializing with people
that hose than don’t. The study comes after it was reported that
more than half of the households in both countries combined has
some kind of pet. Having a pet has a lot of benefits. In terms of
socializing, having a pet can instantly make one popular amongst
other people. Other than that, it has a range of benefits that
enhance the social image of a person.Here’s why owning a pet can
boost your social image:
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The person is caringPeople who have pets are
often looked upon as people who are caring. It is human psyche
to mix with people who can invoke a sense of comfort and that
often comes from people who own pets. Also, someone with a pet
automatically becomes someone who knows how to deal with people
easily. Therefore, all the more why he should have more
friends.
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Easier to start a conversationIt is easier to
start a conversation with someone who is hanging around with a
pet. Sometimes, the pets do funny stuff and that in itself is a
conversation starter. Other times it’s simply irresistible to
ignore a cute dog or a cat who attracts attention.
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Pet owners are healthy individualsIf reports
are to be believed, then people who own pets are healthier than
those that don’t. All that walking around and running behind
the pet finally pays off. Plus, healthier people find it easier
to fit into a social gathering than those who aren’t. Because
everyone loves to be in the company of someone who maintains
himself/herself.
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Pet owners become friends instantlyBirds of a
feather flock together. In this case, the feathers are pets.
There are countless groups on Facebook and otherwise who gather
to discuss anything and everything related to their pets. It’s
one of the best ways to socialize and pet owners therefore find
it easier to meet new people. It also gives them an opportunity
to spend their times doing something they love doing. Pets are
the new cars as far as hobbies go!
Pet owners are more open towards socializing than people who
don’t own pets. It’s because they know the importance of company
and the impact it has on their lives. Pet owners who have similar
types of pet gel easily and are quick at starting conversations.
They are also healthy individuals and therefore get their share
of the limelight. And since pet owners are looked upon as caring
people, it becomes easy to start a conversation with them.
Can social contagion explain our pet choices?
In 1975, a new kind of ‘pet’ came into the market –‘pet rocks’.
It started as a joke but these fuss-free ‘alternative’ to real
pets became a rage. After six months, people moved on.Social
contagion is the way a certain behavior or preference to
something spreads rapidly across a group of people like a
contagious disease. Within the span of a few days or months as
the novelty fades, this craze dies, often giving way to some
other trend.Animals too become the subjects of social contagion.
There is a sudden flare in their popularity that dies just as
quickly.
How does a pet fad
start?
The sudden rise in popularity of certain animals Dalmatians,
clown fishes, turtles, snowy owls can all be clearly identified
with the release of movies. Also, when celebrities flaunt exotic
animals like fashion accessories it gives rise to a new craze.
What is more, online trading has opened up easy and illegal
channels for procuring animals.
The chain of evil
Breeders often resort to unscrupulous means to meet the demand.
Irresponsible breeding and improper handling often results in
deformed or disease-prone offspring. Sometimes, animals captured
from the wild are all sold off to naïve buyers.When it comes to
exotic pets, lack of proper background information regarding
their dietary, exercise and habitat requirements cause
deficiencies and illnesses. To further complicate matters, it may
be difficult to find a veterinarian familiar with the animal's
medical and nutritional needs.Misinformation regarding an
animal’s nature is often circulated by pet traders, often
intentionally. Vietnamese piglets were initially thought of as
the ideal pets, small and docile. But they grew up to be massive
and aggressive pigs, impossible for owners to manage.There is
also a risk of the exotic breeds being the carrier of diseases
that may get transferred to their human caretakers.When the task
of taking care of these pets become just too much, owners release
the animals ‘into the wild’. While some abandoned pets die
painful deaths, some others, like the feral green iguanas of
Florida thrive at the cost of the local species. Shelters too get
overwhelmed by the sheer number of the ‘discarded’ pets.Adopting
a pet is a very serious responsibility. Pets sometimes require
the care and attention an infant needs. It is not a decision to
be made on an impulse. Before we bring a pet home, it is best if
we consult a vet or a responsible pet owner, preferably with the
same species of pet that we wish to adopt. If we are ready for
this big step after weighing in all the points, life will be a
blessing, for us and our animal friend.