One of the most familiar and intimate roles that animals play in the lives of contemporary Western people is that of pets. Pets are animals that are either domesticated or tamed with whom humans have developed a long-term social bond. Pets are part of many human cultures and can be understood as a cultural artifact, as the ways in which pets are treated and what is expected of them vary greatly from one culture to another. Most pets live in or around human households, are considered the possessions of their human owners, and have limited ability to make freewill decisions. Pets in Western societies are often defined by emotion and nostalgia, an approach likely related to increasing distance between people and the natural world. Even within a culture that treats certain animals in a sentimental way, relationships with other animals can still be characterized by cruelty and dominance.
Key Takeaways
- Pets are a significant part of many human cultures and can be viewed as cultural artifacts.
- The treatment and expectations of pets vary greatly across different cultures.
- In Western societies, pets are often defined by emotion and nostalgia, reflecting a growing distance from the natural world.
- Even within cultures that view certain animals sentimentally, relationships with other animals can still be characterized by cruelty and dominance.
- Understanding the cultural significance of pets provides insights into broader societal values and attitudes towards human-animal relationships.
Defining Pets as Cultural Artifacts
Pets can be understood as a cultural artifact, as the ways in which pets are treated and what is expected of them vary greatly from one culture to another. The cultural significance of pets, their role as anthropomorphic symbols, and their place in societal norms are all important factors to consider when examining the diverse relationships between humans and their animal companions.
Pets as Companions and Possessions
Most pets live in or around human households, are considered the possessions of their human owners, and have limited ability to make freewill decisions. Chinese geographer and early scholar in human-animal studies Yi-Fu Tuan (1984) has studied the ways in which humans have dominated the living environment and their pets, with approaches varying between extremes of dominance and affection, love and abuse, cruelty and kindness.
Cultural Variations in Pet Treatment
The treatment of pets and the expectations placed upon them reflect the underlying cultural frameworks and societal norms surrounding human-animal relationships. Practices and attitudes towards pets can differ significantly across various cultural contexts, highlighting the diverse ways in which these animal companions are integrated into the fabric of human societies.
Pets as Emotional and Nostalgic Symbols
Pets in Western societies are often defined by emotion and nostalgia, an approach likely related to increasing distance between people and the natural world. Even within a culture that treats certain animals in a sentimental way, relationships with other animals can still be characterized by cruelty and dominance, underscoring the complex and multifaceted nature of human-animal interactions.
Historical Development of Pet Keeping
The concept of modern pet keeping in the Western world, where animals are kept primarily as human companions rather than for practical purposes, emerged during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Prior to this, animals cared for by humans typically had specific functions or responsibilities within the household. However, as communities and towns became increasingly urbanized, the relationship between people and animals underwent a significant transformation.
Emergence of Modern Pet Keeping
As people lost direct interaction with wild animals, the role of pets in society began to shift. Smaller families had more time to devote to caring for animal companions, and animals were no longer burdened with as many assigned duties and responsibilities. Advancements in medical and veterinary sciences also helped to reduce the risk of zoonoses, or diseases transmitted between animals and humans, making pet keeping a more viable and attractive option for many households.
Urbanization and Changing Human-Animal Relationships
The transition to more urban living had a profound impact on human-animal relationships. As communities became increasingly disconnected from the natural world, the bond between people and their pets took on a more emotional and sentimental character. Pets were increasingly seen as companions and family members, rather than just functional resources.
Rise of the Middle Class and Pet Industries
The growth of the middle class in the 19th and 20th centuries also played a significant role in the development of modern pet keeping. With more affluence, the middle class could afford the luxury of keeping pets, and a thriving pet industry emerged to cater to this demand. This included the establishment of pet food companies, veterinary services, and even specialized pet cremation and burial services, further solidifying the cultural significance of pets in Western societies.
The historical development of pet keeping in the Western world reflects the broader shifts in human-animal relationships, the impact of urbanization, and the rise of a growing middle class with the means to keep pets as beloved companions. These changes have profoundly shaped the cultural and emotional significance of pets in contemporary society.
Pet Keeping in Indigenous Societies
The practice of pet keeping has deep roots in Indigenous societies across the globe. From the children of hunter-gatherer communities to the diverse cultures of North and South America, a rich tapestry of pet-human relationships has long been woven into the fabric of these communities.
Children and Pet Keeping in Hunter-Gatherer Societies
In many hunter-gatherer societies, children are known to keep a wide variety of pets, most commonly including birds, small rodents, and monkeys. These young animals are often taken directly from the surrounding forests and wilderness areas, and are cherished as valuable companions for the children. Caring for these pets is believed to instill in children a deeper understanding of animal behaviors and personalities, while also fostering a sense of stewardship for the natural world.
Pets in North and South American Indigenous Cultures
The practice of pet keeping has been documented extensively across Indigenous societies in North and South America. Animal ethicist James Serpell (1988) has found that the Waraõ, Kalapalo, Barasana, and various other North American Indigenous groups have long tamed and kept a diverse array of animals as companions and pets. These relationships between humans and animals reflect the deep cultural significance of pet keeping in these regions.
The Making of Pets
In Western societies, domesticated animals have increasingly been subjected to extreme genetic manipulation in order to manufacture ever more novel and attractive pet animals. The earliest kennel clubs, designed to develop and maintain breeds and record pedigrees, began as dog show societies in England in 1859 and were later established as governing bodies and official institutions. Selective breeding of pets is sometimes detrimental to the health of the animal breed, as seen in the English bulldog where 86% of litters must be delivered by cesarean section.
Selective Breeding and Pedigree Clubs
Breeders also seek to maintain juvenile physical and behavioral characteristics in pets through a process called neotony, creating animals with larger eyes, smaller snouts, and more submissive attachment to humans. The overall size of pets has also been manipulated, leading to a proliferation of “teacup” breeds with many health risks accompanying extreme miniaturization.
Neotony and Juvenile Characteristics
The desire to create ever more visually appealing and docile pet animals through selective breeding has led to significant health concerns. Breeders’ pursuit of smaller size and neotonic features often results in breeds prone to respiratory issues, joint problems, and other debilitating conditions.
Size Manipulation and Health Risks
The quest for novel and “cute” pet characteristics has come at a cost, with many dog and cat breeds now struggling with severe health problems directly linked to the genetic manipulation undertaken by breeders and pedigree clubs. Understanding these trade-offs is crucial as we continue to redefine the boundaries between human and animal in the modern world of pet keeping.
The Cultural Significance of Pets
Pets play a profound cultural significance, serving as companions, possessions, emotional symbols, and participants in human sociality across diverse societies and cultures. The ways in which pets are treated and the expectations placed on them vary greatly, reflecting the cultural frameworks and norms surrounding human-animal relationships. Pets are often integrated into the fabric of human households and communities, becoming part of social traditions and rituals.
The cultural significance of pets is shaped by factors such as urbanization, industrialization, the rise of the middle class, and shifting human-animal dynamics. Understanding the cultural meanings attached to pets provides insight into broader societal values, attitudes, and the evolving bond between humans and their animal companions.
Anthropological Perspectives on Pet Relationships
Anthropological perspectives offer valuable insights into the cultural significance of pets and the human-animal bond. From a culture and personality theory approach, the affection and responsibility expressed towards pets can be understood as a reflection of culturally-valued personality traits instilled during childhood. Pets often serve as a means of teaching children responsibility and empathy, which then shape their emotional attachment to animal companions later in life.
Symbolic and Interpretive Anthropology
Symbolic and interpretive anthropology provide another lens through which to examine the role of pets in human societies. These frameworks emphasize the symbolic meanings and interpretations that people ascribe to their relationships with animals. Pets can function as symbolic and interpretive anthropology representations of human values, emotional needs, and social connections, revealing deeper cultural patterns and understandings.
Animals in Anthropological Thought
Anthropology has long grappled with the role of animals in human societies and cultures. Early anthropological concepts such as totemism and animism examined the ways non-Western peoples associated themselves with particular animal species and imbued the natural world with spiritual significance.
Totemism and Animism
Totemism refers to the belief that certain animals or natural phenomena are considered sacred or spiritually significant by a particular group or clan. Animism, on the other hand, is the belief that all things, including animals, plants, and inanimate objects, possess a spiritual essence or soul. These perspectives shed light on the deep connections between animals and human cultural identity, social organization, and worldviews in diverse global contexts.
Functionalist Perspectives
Functionalist anthropologists like Émile Durkheim and A.R. Radcliffe-Brown analyzed how these animal-human relationships served to maintain social solidarity and order within societies. They explored how totemic beliefs and practices reinforced group cohesion and regulated individual behavior through a shared reverence for particular animal species.
Cultural Materialism and Ecological Approaches
More recently, cultural materialist and ecological perspectives in anthropology have emphasized the practical, subsistence-based relationships between humans and animals. These approaches examine how the availability, use, and management of animal resources shape cultural systems, social organization, and economic patterns within specific environmental and material contexts.
Pets as Participants in Human Sociality
In recent decades, anthropological scholarship has expanded its focus to examine pets as active participants in human social life, rather than just as resources or symbols. Scholars have documented the ways in which pets forge interspecies relationships and friendships, becoming integral members of human social networks and households.
Interspecies Relationships and Friendships
Pets are not merely passive companions, but actively contribute to the fabric of human sociality. Research has revealed the depth and complexity of interspecies relationships and friendships that develop between people and their animal companions. Pets play a vital role in fostering social connections, providing emotional support, and even shaping the social dynamics within households and communities.
Animals as Social Actors
Anthropologists have increasingly recognized animals as social actors, capable of influencing and participating in various aspects of human society. Pets, in particular, are observed to engage in social behaviors, communicate with their human companions, and even develop their own social networks and hierarchies within the household. This perspective challenges the traditional view of animals as objects of human dominance and control, instead positioning them as meaningful contributors to the human social experience.
Pets and Human-Animal Bonds
The relationships between humans and their pets are characterized by deep emotional and psychological bonds that transcend species boundaries. Numerous studies have documented the myriad benefits of pet ownership, including increased empathy, reduced stress and anxiety, and enhanced social connections for pet owners.
Emotional and Psychological Benefits
Owning a pet has been shown to provide a range of emotional and psychological benefits for humans. Interacting with companion animals can help lower blood pressure, reduce feelings of loneliness, and even improve cardiovascular health. Pets can also serve as emotional support for individuals dealing with mental health challenges, offering a source of comfort and unconditional acceptance.
Cross-Cultural Variations in Human-Animal Relationships
The nature of human-animal relationships can vary significantly across different cultural contexts. While pets are often treated as beloved family members in Western societies, their status and treatment may differ in other parts of the world. Cross-cultural perspectives on the role of animals in human life can shed light on the diverse ways in which people bond with their non-human companions.
Conclusion
As I’ve explored throughout this article, pets play a profound and multifaceted role in human societies, serving as cultural artifacts, social companions, emotional symbols, and active participants in human sociality. The ways in which we perceive, treat, and integrate pets into our cultural traditions vary significantly across different contexts, reflecting the underlying values, beliefs, and human-animal dynamics that shape these relationships.
From the historical development of modern pet keeping to the anthropological perspectives on the human-animal bond, the cultural significance of pets is a complex and fascinating topic. Whether we consider the pet-friendly culture of the Western world, the cross-cultural variations in human-animal relationships, or the vital roles of companion animals, emotional support animals, and service animals, it’s clear that our connections with pets are deeply woven into the fabric of our societal norms and animal welfare concerns.
As I reflect on the insights gained from this exploration, I am struck by the profound ways in which pets serve as anthropomorphic extensions of ourselves, embodying our desires for companionship, emotional support, and a sense of stewardship over the natural world. Understanding the multifaceted role of pets in human societies not only enhances our appreciation for the human-animal bond, but also sheds light on the complex interplay between culture, cognition, and our relationships with the broader living world.
