My family and other animals

Killing with kindness

Camille Chan, research officer at the University of Hong Kong's Department of Social Work and Social Administration and co-author of the 2023 paper "Hong Kong Veterinarians' Encounters With Client-Related Stress — a Qualitative Study", says overindulgent owners often end up having unrealistic expectations of their pets. For instance, when a pet falls ill, worried owners are often looking for an instant remedy. And many veterinary clinics pander to such desires by conducting procedures on the ailing animal at top speed and providing the owners with slapdash results within a few hours of conducting the tests.

The vets who want to do a more professional job end up losing clients as a result.

"Because animals cannot talk, they are often quite ill by the time they start showing the symptoms and are brought over to vets' clinics," Chan remarks, adding that owners tend to get impatient and "very demanding" when they don't get an immediate diagnosis of the ailment. "This is a major stressor for veterinarians."

Man's relationship with domesticated animals continues to evolve. As more people veer away from the conventional definition of a family, pets present the possibility of having a different kind of companionship. As is the case in many other relatively affluent, cosmopolitan cities, the pet lovers of Hong Kong are trying to work out models of responsible pet ownership. While social media channels serve as sites of flaunting luxury pet accessories, they also call out instances of inappropriate and potentially harmful behavior toward pets.

The information is out there. It's up to the owners to choose whether they treat their pets as more of accessories to show off on social media or demonstrate genuine concern for their well-being.