Since 1998 the pet population in the U.S. has almost doubled — about two-thirds of the country now owns a pet. Why are we seeing such an increase? What has changed in our society as a result of this shift? In this episode of Theory of Pets, you’ll learn about the economic, media, legal, political, and social dramas springing from this cultural transformation.
No longer left to wander the neighborhood, dogs, and cats eat special food, get individualized medical attention, and even fly in the cabin of airplanes. As founder of the Animal Policy Group, Mark Cushing provides a unique look at the rise of this love affair with pets and how it's changing the world.
His book, Pet Nation: The Love Affair That Changed America tracks the myriad of ways that pets are acquired, reporting on pet rights legislation, pet healthcare, and discovering that despite what many organizations would have us believe, there is a shortage of dogs in our country.
I know, I was surprised by that last part too, but after listening to Mark speak on the subject, I’ve realized that there’s a lot more to it than I thought! Mark is the founding partner and CEO of the Animal Policy Group and a Stanford honors graduate. He acts as Trustees Counsel for Lincoln Memorial University and has served as adjunct faculty and lecturer at Lincoln Memorial University, Lewis & Clark College, and the University of Oregon law school. He has the unique job of advancing causes related to pets.
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