In my previous post Pet Insurance Brouhaha Over at Pet Connection, I mentioned a feisty bunch of comments.
One of side discussions was about the use of the term "pet parents"; in particular, my use of the term and various opinions on that term.
Here's part of the quote from me that Gina selected out:
But does pet insurance make sense for you? It all depends on the attitude you have towards your furry friend. “There’s a subset of pet owners who treat their pets like their children,” says Bennett. “If you’re the kind of person who would pay whatever it takes to make them better, pet insurance really is for you. If your pet’s disposable, then it’s not. You have to ask-are you a pet owner, or a pet parent?”
And here are some of the reactions in Gina's post to that:
I am an animal owner, not ever a “pet parent.” I find it beyond insulting to be told by an insurance industry mouthpiece that if I’m not a “pet parent,” then my animal is “disposable.”
Funny you should mention “pet parent.” That phrase sets my teeth on edge more even than “Fluffy” and “Fido.” Everyone who has ever written for me (except for Christie, who would never use “pet parents”) has had the experience of having me edit it out of their copy with a note that I will remove their fingers if they ever type it again. [that was Gina!]
Phew, she isn’t pulling any punches with the guilt marketing on that one is she?
Gina, the first time I encountered the phrase “pet parent,” was in the annual report of the PetsMart corporation. I believe they may have invented it. I didn’t see it anywhere else for maybe a year or so after reading it in that financial document. They defined the “pet parent” as, (not in so many words), the core-customer suckers who would buy any fool thing at any fool price for their hapless child-substitutes. PetsMart was in favor of pet parenthood. Ya think?
Re: “pet parent.” Hey, I’m not the word police! (Unless you’re writing for me.) I’ve been known to drop “dog mom” and “cat mom” in reference to myself a time or two. Although I can’t speak for Heather H. (who can indeed speak for herself quite well, heaven knows), what I don’t like about the phrase “pet parent” is that when it’s used by a big company it has a patronizing ring to it. Like they’re trying to sell me something. Which, um, they are. [Gina again]
I plan to go on using “pet parent,” and if it %$&%$ someone off, or causes them to hope that I’m a hapless victim of marketing, well, that’s their problem, not mine.
I don’t like “pet parent” for the same reason Gina cites, but also, because it’s disrespectful of my animals.
These are all great points and what I take from it is that the same term can mean different things to different people. Goodness knows I've had people jump down my throat for using "pet owner" and roll their eyes at "pet guardian" too.
So here's what pet parent means to me (it's posted towards the end of the comments for the above-mentioned post):
Yes, I confess I use the term pet parent. Everyone is so different about how they like to describe their relationship with their pets, nothing satisfies everyone. I think of myself as a pet parent because my pets are part of my family and I am responsible for their welfare. Do they line up the same way as my two children? Well, no they don’t, but it doesn’t mean they don’t mean anything to me.
And as my mother would always say to me "I'll always be your mother, no matter what age you are"
Amen to that.
So what say yea on the topic?
