Our animal instincts are totally off-kilter

Suzanne Harrington on anthrozoology — the relationship between humans and animals.

A recent Guardian article questioned the ethics of keeping pets. It was written for a British audience, who love their pets so much that 16% included them as household members in the 2011 census, and 12% said they love them more than they love their partner. Which would surely suggest getting a new partner, rather than worrying about the ethics of pet ownership.

I ask my dogs what they think, as they lie on their rugs, watching me write this. They are gnawing on dog chews and contentedly licking their bits, but they just shrug and stare meaningfully at the treat tin. One of them wags her tail, as if to encourage me to get up and open the tin. I obey automatically.