Thoughts on people committing their time and resources on animals

I have been concerned for several years about the relationship between the American people and their pets. Be patient, I'll try to explain.

There can be little question that focus, attention, and spending on our pets has increased exponentially during the past several decades. Very few households are "pet free" and our pets are pampered now more than any time in our history. It is now nearly a crime (sometimes it is illegal) to house your pet outside the home. They get designer food and better health care than many of our fellow citizens; despite its exorbitant cost. They have become welcomed travelers (not so a very few years ago) and it is increasingly common to see them in our grocery stores and restaurants. We even have public parks now, exclusively dedicated to pets. Except for the high cost of vet care, I have no issue with any of these.

My issue is this; is there a connection between our continued elevation of pets and the continuing de-valuation of children (and the elderly) in modern society? (Our declining birth-rate and the total disinheritance of our elderly are just two of many supporting statistics).

While we chase the god of self-fulfillment, pets have become the "easy" replacement. They place far fewer demands on our time and treasure. They also become an easy replacement for the love and attention we would normally expend on our children and others.

Try as I might, I can find no parallel in God’s word.

Yes , pets r much easier to love than many humans r , they r less demanding , they don't disagree with u , they don't give u very much trouble at all compared to how a human can drive u crazy . We need to remember that none of this is the animals fault . It's our fault that we devalue human relationships , not the animals fault .

What are your thoughts on people devoting their time and resources on animals (versus humans)? This could involve people choosing certain professions such as veterinary science, committing time/volunteering at animal shelters, zoos, etc., and/or giving monetarily more/primarily towards animals and animal causes?

Some people seem to have a more black/white reaction on spending a lot of money on animals (vet bills, donations, etc.). Does this necessarily mean that they are prioritizing animals over humans? I think most everyone would prioritize a human whom they loved over a pet. Maybe the people they love at that point in time are not as needy compared to their pet? If you say, "Well, this person could have given $X to the poor instead of paying for vet bills/donating to wildlife charity," what is to become of the animals? A lot of these animal charities are very low on resources, hence their constant fundraising.

And what about people committing most of the waking hours towards animals either through work or volunteering?

What are your thoughts on people devoting their time and resources on animals (versus humans)? This could involve people choosing certain professions such as veterinary science, committing time/volunteering at animal shelters, zoos, etc., and/or giving monetarily more/primarily towards animals and animal causes?

Some people seem to have a more black/white reaction on spending a lot of money on animals (vet bills, donations, etc.). Does this necessarily mean that they are prioritizing animals over humans? I think most everyone would prioritize a human whom they loved over a pet. Maybe the people they love at that point in time are not as needy compared to their pet? If you say, "Well, this person could have given $X to the poor instead of paying for vet bills/donating to wildlife charity," what is to become of the animals? A lot of these animal charities are very low on resources, hence their constant fundraising.

And what about people committing most of the waking hours towards animals either through work or volunteering?