I always wondered about "pet" people. I never had a dog or a cat. My mother is actually terrified of animals of all sizes and this meant I was only able to have odds and ends pets while growing up. I've had fish - all of which eventually got flushed, parakeets, turtles, and a rabbit (which ended up legs up in his cage). This is probably the reason I laugh when people ask me if I don't want to have children soon. I figure if I can't keep a rabbit alive, I shouldn't try to move up to a more complex model.
Yesterday I saw a commercial for an insurance company - Progressive. In the ad they advertised "pet injury coverage" with their car insurance coverage.
WTF?
I'm sure some of you are googling the Progressive web site now and saying how great it will be to have your pet covered in your insurance. Especially after dressing up little "Muffy" and "Scooter" in their fashionable designer outfits. I know this is a huge market for retailers. Even Toys R Us now has a pet toy and dress aisle.
I wonder how much you end up paying for this coverage? Last time I checked, pets are considered "property" in a court of law. So I hate to break this to you, but here's the quote directly from the Progressive site:
"It may seem insensitive to consider the four-legged members of your family as property, but insurance policies designate bodily injury coverage for humans only. All other damages in an accident — including your pet's injuries — are considered property damage."
That's right all you pet people, you cat and dog are property. I know you thought your insurance company was going to pay for your pet's broken legs and post traumatic stress syndrome but you are wrong. So I hope you kept your receipt when you bought Marmaduke.
It sounds cold, I know. I like dogs, but I'm not sure I could live with one at this time in my life. I'm definitely sure I wouldn't dress him up in a raincoat for his walk. Cats - don't even get me started. If I want to be looked down on when I come home, I'll get married!
It's brilliant, though. Most Americans never read the fine print anyway. Few will check the regulations for this coverage. Thousands will sign up just based on the TV ad.
If ignorance is bliss, I guess it's a win/win situation.
Posts
Born slippy
-
Today, I took my date ice skating, even though I’m terrible at it. I always
knew I had shit balance, but I practically spent the entire time clinging
to th...
3 hours ago
6 comments:
Okay - I swear this is the last comment and I'll leave you alone! But I have to say that I am really NOT a big pet person. My mom was allergic to pet dander so all pets growing up were turtles, etc that we still managed to kill on a regular basis. So that may explain much of my disinterest in the whole pet thing. That being said, I HATE this whole pet as kids or whatever thing. Pet christmas presents? Pet vacations? Ridiculous. I have children (who, by the way are much easier to keep alive then pets - they have a habit of actually getting in your face and screaming about food and such - so forgetting about them is much more difficult) and they are nothing like pets. Children require a whole shit ton more work, effort and with tons more potential disaster if you fuck up. Plus, when you walk around with your pet attached to you with tubing for five months, when everything you eat is what they eat, when every toss and turn at night keeps you from sleep, and then, when you pass a schnauzer from your vagina - THEN I'll listen to your claims that your pets are your kids just like I have my kids. That is really insulting. Either you are elevating your animal to the same level as my child or you are reducing my child's significance to that of an animal -and while they can sometimes act like animals thereby making your point valid, it is always in private and so you can't possibly know about it.
Here is my arm chair psychology about that - I really think it is a maternal type biological drive that is very strong but the actual desire and/or ability to have an actual child is absent (ie. due to age for the grandma with dogs type). So you end up with people treating animals like children. Spoiling them, etc. What gets me is that if you have such a desire to care for and spoil and nurture something - how about adopt a child? Or become a Big Brother/Big Sister? Or volunteer at a nursing home? Or volunteer anywhere? Or get a "pet" charity? Because all that time and money and attention could go so many places that are far more deserving and would actually DO something. But you know, putting a sweater on a dog is just so much easier and fun. Okay, I'll step down from the soapbox now - sorry about that.
Claire,
I enjoyed all of your posts. I'm not sure if my favorite line was your comparison of your children to pets ("Either you are elevating your animal to the same level as my child or you are reducing my child's significance to that of an animal..." -a GREAT line!) or how clever (and probably effective) it was to make your son earn back his possessions as punishment for poor judgement.
Keep reading, keep posting and feel free to pass on the link. I love reading the comments.
If I can take care of my kid how come all my pets had X's in their eyes???
I dig animals sometimes more than people. I cried when my ferret died and NOT at my mother's funeral. (Small, cute and furry vs. mean, fat and hairy-you do the math!)That having been said it is absolutely ridiculous the lengths to which some people will go with their pets. Spending 10K on surgeries, treatments and medicine for a $75 ferret? Are you fucking kidding me? Get a life already. That having been said I personally consider children the deepest, darkest black hole down which you could conceivably pump your money but people seem to like them. So am I judging pet owners? No. I'm just saying-anytime not spent worshiping yourself is wasted. If you hate yourself you can always come worship me.
what kind of dog was on that commercial? its driving me nuts trying to figure it out!
Anon -
Hmm. Obviously a pet person...
Post a Comment