Figure 1.--The photo shows a South African boy with his dog in Edenburg, a small town in the Free State province. I'm not sure abiout the breed, but it looks to have some shepard in it. |
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We know very little about pets in South Africa. We do know that South Africans have the standard dogs and cats for pets that are popular in other countries. Dogs are kept as pets in both urbn and rural areas. They are particularly popular in rural areas where they serve a variety of useful purposes besides just being pets. South African boys as in other countries in particular seem drawn to dogs. We do not have any specific information on South Africa, but this seems to be the case across cultures. And of course on farms they provide great companions for children less likely to have friends nearby. We are not sure about the popular breeds, but we have noticed quite a wide range of species. We are less cure about cats, but we know some South Africans have them. We think they may be more of an urban pet, but our information is very limited. Birds mostly parrots and parakeets are also popular pets. Some come from Africa. A number of people like to keep tropical fish. We are not sure where they are sourced. A few South Africans keep reptiles as pets, usually locally obtained reptiles. Keeping pets can be a very expensive undertaking. The cost of veternarian care has risen dramatically in recent years. This creates a cultural divide between the affluent and the country's large poor black majority. We are not sure how this culturally affects the desire to keep pets. Our initial assessment is that children are drawn to animals and a desire to keep pets. Cultural matters intervene with adults. What is more certain is that poverty affects the ability of people to care for their pets.
We know very little about pets in South Africa. Nor are we sure about how South Africa compares to other countries, both Europe and elsewhere in Africa. South Africa's white population seems more similar to Europe. The majority black population seems more similar to the rest of Africa. We have no information on 'colored'. Coloreds (Kleurlinge) are a multiracial ethnic group in South Africa, who have ancestry from African (Khoisan and Bantu), European, and sometimes also Asian (Austronesian and South Asian) ethnic groups. Asians tend not to share the Western obsession wih pets.
We do know that South Africans have the standard dogs and cats for pets that are popular in other countries. Dogs are kept as pets in both urbn and rural areas. They are particularly popular in rural areas where they serve a variety of useful purposes besides just being pets. South African boys as in other countries in particular seem drawn to dogs. We do not have any specific information on South Africa, but this seems to be the case across cultures. And of course on farms they provide great companions for children less likely to have friends nearby. Countless books and films have picked up on his theme. Actually data is harder to come from. We clealy see it in the photographic record. We are not sure about the popular breeds, but we have noticed quite a wide range of species. We are less cure about cats, but we know some South Africans have them. We think they may be more of an urban pet, but our information is very limited. Birds mostly parrots and parakeets are also popular pets. Some come from Africa. A number of people like to keep tropical fish. We are not sure where they are sourced. A few South Africans keep reptiles as pets, usually locally obtained reptiles.
Keeping pets can be a very expensive undertaking. The cost of veternarian care has risen dramatically in recent years. This creates a cultural divide between the affluent and he country's large poor black majority. We are not sure how this culturally affects the desire to keep pets. Our initial assessment is that children are drawn to animals and a desire to keep pets. Culturl matters intervene with adults. What is more certain is that poverty affects the ability of people to care for their pets.
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