Pets Over Parents

The emotional devotion once reserved for parents increasingly flows toward pets in Kashmir, raising ethical and health concerns.

- Rahila Ali

A subtle but telling change has taken hold in many Kashmiri homes.

Young people lavish attention, time, and money on their dogs and cats. Pets sleep on plush bedding, enjoy specially prepared meals, receive grooming services, and even get veterinary care that rivals the attention given to humans.

Meanwhile, the parents who raised these children, the ones who endured sleepless nights, financial hardship, and endless sacrifices, sometimes live with loneliness, untreated ailments, or lack of emotional support.

Social media amplifies the trend.

Every picture of a pampered pet brings likes, admiration, and subtle social pressure. Caring for animals has become a badge of compassion, sometimes at the expense of the more demanding, less glamorous responsibility of nurturing one’s own parents.

The psychology behind this shift is evident. Modern life in Kashmir isolates individuals, and pets provide unconditional companionship. They do not argue, complain, or question.