Last major update -- 5.10.22
There is a cost that comes with pet ownership which often goes unconsidered when it comes to deciding whether to adopt a furry friend or when considering housing options for some pet-owners (hereafter referred to simply as owners). That cost can be defined by the time, effort-expenditure, and cognitive effect associated with ensuring that fido is (or fidos are) able to meet their excretory needs. In the context of this analysis, we will generalize owners as belonging to one of two groups.
- Primary residence of owner characterized by one (or more) of the following:
- Private yard with fenced property perimeter (includes “invisible fences”)
- Large acreage
- Assumes fido is trusted to roam property and returns home when called
- Other characteristics that enable fido to regularly be outside unsupervised without concerns for safety, worry to owner, or issue to public
- Can include mounted leashes if properly secured
- Typically associated with higher income*
- Ample discretionary income affords opportunities for additional pet amenities, such as
- Environmental, product, and/or other activities for enrichment
- Obedience training
- Ample discretionary income affords opportunities for additional pet amenities, such as
-
Primary residence of owner characterized as:
- Without an outside-accessible door from dwelling
- Most units in apartments and condominiums
- Many townhouses and duplexes/multiplex no yard or with communal areas
- Rented private room that prohibit animals in shared living spaces
- Characteristics otherwise that prevent fido from regularly being allowed outside unsupervised
- Without an outside-accessible door from dwelling
-
Typically associated with lower income**
*While the grouping/categorization is more ambiguous for certain urban dwellers who may have higher income, costs-of-living
Many landholders may not truly consider this potential cost in pet ownership if they have never been an owner while spending time living at a residence that can be categorized as belonging to Group 2. For landowners, “letting the dog out” when fido is indicating they’re needing can often be simply (1.) getting up, (2.) taking several paces (3. – optional)
While other software/applications exist attempting to achieve similar functionality, I believe that 'The Scoop' is preferable for several reasons:
- Open source
- Attempts to deal with practical concerns (e.g. convenience of use, accuracy of predictions, dealing with missing values)
- FREE
- Cross-platform interoperability
Got interrupted, sorry for the cliffhanger, stay tuned for more!