I have thought of writing about this one
before, but simply did not have enough motivation to do so. But what pulled the
trigger so to speak, was when I saw this morning a front page picture of dogs
wearing Halloween costumes on a daily broadsheet we subscribe to. Honestly, I
did not find it cute. I have come across a myriad of pictures of dogs in the
past wearing outlandish costumes and did not find them cute either. If I were a
dog, I would bite my owner if he or she will try to put a costume on me.
Uncomfortable
If only dogs could speak, I am sure as hell
that they do not want to be wearing costumes basically because costumes (and
clothes too) can be very uncomfortable for them. In the first place, God did
not create dogs to wear such articles of clothing. Dog owners out there I know
will tell me that the preceding statement is an overkill, and that they put on
costumes on their dogs on certain occasions only and not all the time. Sure. But
overkill or not, it is not in the nature of dogs to be dressed up and
accessorized like dolls. One need not be a NASA scientist in order to
understand this. Get yourself a doll instead.
Imagine yourself as a dog wearing a
costume. I am sure that you will agree with me that you will not be able to
move freely with all those add-ons to your body – shirt, vest, skirt, veil,
shoes, big ribbons, shades, headband, and all other freaky and disgusting
stuff. It feels hot too, right? Your thick fur is enough to keep your body
warm, so what more if there is a fabric clinging like leech on your body? Are
you not feeling dizzy with all those crazy attention and camera flashes? Are
you tired, hungry, and thirsty already? Do you understand what is going on? Question: what are you, a dog or a trophy?Insensitive
A dog wearing a costume is a picture of
outright insensitivity. Outside of its owner’s fence are children who are
naked, homeless, and have nothing to eat. Dog “fashion shows” and costume
parties are staged amidst a society that is third world in nature. We buy a
shirt for our dog but could not even donate a worn-out one to a poor kid on the
street. In my opinion (and I am sure in your opinion too), owners showcasing
their dogs in fancy clothes is a display of extravagance, and insensitivity to
those who are in need.
I am all for responsible pet ownership, and
would not mind spending quite a fortune on my dog’s vaccines, food, and
supplements. But fancy clothes will definitely not be in my checklist. Dogs
don’t need them, period.
Conclusion
I am a dog lover myself too. I grew up with
dogs around me, from askals, to
cross-breeds, and to pure-breeds. We don’t have a dog right now. The last of
them was a maltese-spitz which barked and wagged her tail to heaven on December
of 2010, a few weeks after my Dad’s passing (I guess my Dad wanted
a fluffy companion). I have had my share of mishaps in the area of responsible
pet ownership. But if there is one thing that I can be proud of, is that the
only thing that I put on our dogs was a leash, nothing more.
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