If they are genuinely displacing the compassion from people in their lives (who they previously loved and cared for) to their animals for no apparent reason, then yes, that is strange.

:) (or maybe I was a weird kid. I lived in the sticks, anyways, so was very outdoorsy from a young age).

I liked grass too, but I also had no problem rolling around in mud and dirt. (and shitting in the garden, for that matter).

Uh, though granted, the poo bins here are only for dog poo.

Because little kids aren't particularly discerning (or clean). I know from experience when I was a toddler I was fine with both dirt and poop as concepts (my parents, understandably, less so).

Is he though? Psychopath is actually a fairly specific disorder (and the people who are largely psychopaths tend to end up being very driven and successful due to their willingness to step on others to reach the top!)

Where I am we don't have separate dog parks, but yes, it's the same.

Agreed - but I thought they did (re requiring boarding passes for animals?) I know (as mentioned) passport for pets was created to allow pets in cabins for international flights (so they wouldn't have to deal with quarantine) so thought that would translate to a similar thing, but have no idea on domestic flights,…

Perhaps, yeah. I think trust issues can come off as misanthropy (when suspicion and defensiveness can translate as hostility or hatred) - but I definitely think they aren't the same.

No, but both should have responsible adults caring for them that can, right? :)

I'd wonder if it really is extreme misanthropy, or just not being able to trust people after previous betrayals (which is deeply sad, and not the same at all as lacking empathy, and not necessarily cultural) - because what other animals offer than humans don't (apart from very young children) is unconditional love.

True, but she said in the cabin, next to her so I extrapolated from that statement.

Yep, a fence is a good solution. (Though you would hope people could simply abide by the signs).

Well, I can't say what it's like in Los Angeles. Here if you don't pick up the poo and put it in the bin, you get fined. (though admittedly, even here some areas are better than others. depends how much it's enforced).

Would you? Interesting. I'd understand the haters, but not the lovers aspect. (Um, unless you were getting into bestiality, in which case, I agree).

It may (or may not) interest you to know there was a long standing campaign to get passports for pets. That's probably why there's an increase in people having their pets aboard. Before hand, pets had to be stashed in the cargo hold (as cargo) in crates for long period and then being quarantined. (which is…

"That people love their dogs so much is a sign of how alienated we are from other human beings in our culture."

Hm. Re: the point about soil and grass...

D'aww.

I don't blame her at all. I don't think apologizing on behalf of her son is the same as shaming him (as the article suggests) or turning her back on him. She doesn't say he's a bad person, she doesn't say he's scum. She said he's made a bad choice and fell in with the wrong crowd.