Every time a dog movie comes out, someone writes an article on the perils of owning the specific breed of dog depicted in that movie. The latest movie to get the 101 Dalmatians treatment is Eight Below, courtesy of CanWest News Service:
Worried that dog breeds popularized by celebrities, movies and television will become the targets of puppy mills, Canadian and U.S. kennel clubs are asking people to think seriously before buying one of the dogs as a pet.
“Everybody wants a Dalmatian or a bearded collie or a Jack Russell after they see them in a movie,” Patti Murray of Ashton, Ont., a member of both the Canadian and U.S. bearded collie clubs, said yesterday.
“But these breeds are definitely not for everybody. They are a major commitment.” . . .
Well, it’s one thing to say that certain dogs don’t necessarily make very good pets for children, no matter how family-friendly the movie in which they appeared may be. But to warn moviegoers that dogs are “a major commitment” seems a little silly, it’s so well-duh. Isn’t this what all parents tell their children when their children ask for a pet? Have we as a society really sunk so low that the “experts” must now teach this lesson to grown-ups?
Granted, movies do stimulate our desire for companionship, and they sometimes encourage unrealistic expectations, too. I wonder if someone has ever written an article that began like this:
Worried that lifestyles popularized by celebrities, movies and television will become the target of poor matchmakers, Canadian and U.S. dating services are asking people to think seriously before taking someone out on a date.
“Everybody wants a boyfriend or a girlfriend or one of each after they see them in a movie,” Murray Patrick of Burnedoften, Ont., a member of both the Canadian and U.S. dating services for bearded men, said yesterday.
“But relationships are definitely not for everybody. They are a major commitment.” . . .
I wonder how many other variations we could do on this.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In