Human invention seemingly knows no bounds. This is particularly evident when we apply it to meeting the needs of our pets. Providing food and shelter used to mean scraping the family’s dinner leftovers into a bowl and putting an old cushion in a box in the corner of the laundry. Now a whole industry has developed to help us feed, clothe, house and care for the animals in our lives. Serving our pets’ needs has generated a cavalcade of products, from gourmet food to ‘enhanced’ water, from homemade creations to funky fashions, and from rustic shelters to designer comforts.

As owners, our tastes and desires are reflected in the choices we make for our pets. This has helped give our pets nearly as many lifestyle choices as we have. They can have an outfit for every occasion and appointments at the salon or puppy day care. They can even be taken in a pet taxi to the therapist or acupuncturist. And – if they’ve got the right plan – their visit can be claimed on their pet health insurance. The scope of products and services available for our pets seems never ending.

Director: Michael Power. Copyright: AFTERGLOW 2008.

This film screened at the Museum of Sydney as part of the exhibition Tails of the City: Sydney’s passion for pets, 13 December, 2008 — 22 March, 2009