Pets can be many things to people. To some, pets are life-changing family members. To others, they’re noisy troublemakers. And pets are the stars of hilarious viral videos.
It might be hard to imagine a future without them. But, hey, that’s what we do here at What If. So let’s peek into a future where nobody owns a pet, including you.
What would happen to all the dogs and cats? How would it affect children? Would you be better off or worse off?
People love pets. In Britain, 90% of pet owners consider their pet to be a member of their family. And 16% even listed their animals in the 2011 census. Dogs are the most popular pet, with 46% of pet-owning households in the U.S. taking care of a canine companion.
They can also be destructive, dangerous, and time-consuming. So we’re mainly going to focus on dogs in this What If article. But how far back does our relationship with dogs go?
Dogs were the first domesticated animal. We raised them before we started planting wheat or rice, or herding goats, cows, and pigs. Recent evidence revealed that dogs were domesticated from two types of wolves. It happened in Asia about 14,000 years ago, and in Europe about 16,000 years ago.
People used dogs for work, meat, and fur. And just as dogs have changed us throughout history, we have had a huge impact on them. As we domesticated canines, their skulls, teeth, and paws shrank. Their temperaments changed. They even learned to read human facial expressions. Dogs have evolved to co-exist with you and me. But domestication doesn’t mean that an animal is a pet. And the moment in history when dogs crossed that threshold, from domesticated animal to pet, is still a big unknown.
We do know that dogs were given special burials about 8,000 years ago. This might show that our attitude shifted as they became pets. But let’s jump from the past into the future. A pet-less future. We’ll start with the positives of what your life would be like.
For starters, it would be quieter. No dogs barking at every squirrel they see, or alerting you to when the mail arrives. You wouldn’t have to deal with owners who don’t pick up their dog’s poop during walks. Your house would be cleaner too. No pet hair, muddy pawprints, or pet toys.
You’d also have more money. Pets are expensive. In 2019, U.S. pet owners spent nearly $96 billion on their furry, feathered, or scaled companions. You could take those extra funds and travel. Now that you don’t have a pet to take care of, you could see more of the world. And if you have a child, you’d have peace of mind, knowing that they’re safe from a bad-tempered dog. Most bites come from a family pet.
Because kids, and some adults, don’t always understand that pets are animals with their own sense of the world. They have boundaries, just like you and I. And it can be dangerous if a pet is afraid or stressed. Pets can be unpredictable, and they add a lot of responsibility to your life.
But if we’re talking about a future where we decide to no longer have pets, what would happen to all the dogs and cats around today? A future without pets doesn’t mean that dogs and cats wouldn’t exist. With no homes to go to, dogs and cats would become feral.
We’d have to go to great lengths to spay and neuter all these wild urban animals, so their populations wouldn’t grow out of control. About 1.5 million animals are euthanized every year in shelters in the U.S. This number would likely grow if people no longer welcomed animals into their homes.
There are also negative health effects of petlessness. You, and everyone else, could have higher blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. You’d also feel lonelier. And you might not get outside and go for walks as often. Imagine how empty your neighborhood streets would be without people walking their dogs. And while dogs can pose a threat to kids, they can also teach essential life skills. In one study, children who read to animals developed better social skills. They shared and volunteered more.
And, while it’s painful, pets can also teach you about death. This is both a pro and a con. Your world would be a lot simpler without pets, but simple isn’t always best. Whether you’re an animal lover or not, pets bring joy and purpose to millions of people.
But it’s important to understand that they’re still animals. They have their own emotions and needs. It’s up to us owners to care for them, and train them, so that we can live in harmony. As I mentioned earlier, dogs have been a part of the human story for a long time. And as impossible as it is to comprehend a future where dogs aren’t pets, what about a world where they never existed? Where would the human race be without dogs? Well, that’s a story for another What If.
