Pet People Having Identity Crisis

Thursday, 28 October 2010 | by Pat's Picks

What do you call a person who lives with an animal? Are they an owner? A mom? According to the San Francisco Chronicle, ‘owner’ is quickly falling out of favor.  In fact, many cities around the country have banned the use of ‘owner’ all together in favor of the more ambiguous, ‘guardian’. It’s a change some groups, most notably the American Veterinary Medical Association, aren’t happy about because they worry the change could lead to more malpractice lawsuits. 

But animal activists say its the first step in elevating the status of animals under the law. Despite that, some owners aren’t satisfied with the term either, complaining that it sounds to legal. ‘Caregiver’ is another popular choice. And some people throw the dice and go with ‘pet parent’. What do you think?