Pets Just Can't Compete With Video Games When It Comes To Kids' Attention

from the man't-best-friend dept

Tue, Mar 6th 2007 3:27pm — Joseph Weisenthal

Video games may not turn people into mindless killers, but they're not totally off the hook. The head of the Australian Veterinary Association is blaming video games for decreased pet ownership (via Digg), and all of the problems that creates. That's right, according to the group, it's a big problem for society if kids aren't spending as much time outside with Lassie, since they're not getting the physical exercise or the important life skills that come about from playing with pets. This complaint is just a variation on the old "video games make kids fat" argument, which studies have cast into doubt. More importantly, there doesn't seem to be any evidence of a link between video games and pet ownership; it's just the conjecture of someone who sounds worried about his profession. There's no logical reason to think that video game playing and pet ownership are mutually exclusive, as there are certainly plenty of kids that do both. Of course, it would be unfortunate if kids didn't get the joy of playing fetch with a dog and a frisbee, which is why it would make for an excellent game on the Wii.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

21 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Anonymous Coward, 6 Mar 2007 @ 4:41pm

Next Gen TV's
Frisbe With the Dog. The Wii would be great for that. Now all I need is a TV that would jump up and catch the remote.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
110100100, 6 Mar 2007 @ 4:53pm

been done
They already have a TV that can jump up and catch the remote. Chek it out at http://www.wiidamage.com/
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Solo, 6 Mar 2007 @ 4:56pm

It's not video games that makes kids fat, it's McDonalds and Coca-Cola. They are the real cause!

And you sure can't blame the parents and lack of responsibility, oh no you can't!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Sramana Mitra, 6 Mar 2007 @ 5:14pm

Try NeoPets
A compromise between pets and video games.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Nobody, 6 Mar 2007 @ 5:39pm

Pets TCO
The problem with Pets Vs Video Games is in the Total cost of Ownership

Game Consol + Games maby $1-2 K

Pets + Vet + Shots + Food + Food + Replacing the Backyard > 10K
[ link to this | view in thread ]
COD, 6 Mar 2007 @ 7:04pm

Lets see, 2 kids, 2 dogs, one snake, one horse, 1 PS2, each kid with own computer, each kid with a Gameboy. Yeah, the pets and the kids around here are really suffering.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
110100100, 6 Mar 2007 @ 7:33pm

I think the bigger issue here is the animals' lack of video game time...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
OMAC1A, 6 Mar 2007 @ 7:45pm

My PS3 will never leave a steaming pile of leavings on my shag carpet.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Tashi, 6 Mar 2007 @ 8:05pm

I've got 2 consoles, 2 handhelds, and 2 gecko lizards. =D
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Buzz, 6 Mar 2007 @ 8:16pm

LOL
Golden Retriever IV for Nintendo Wii
[ link to this | view in thread ]
icabod, 7 Mar 2007 @ 2:04am

Pets
I just wonder how many kids read the title of this article and thought you were on about Petz (and Dogz and Catz), the virtual pet simz.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
icabod, 7 Mar 2007 @ 2:04am

Pets
I just wonder how many kids read the title of this article and thought you were on about Petz (and Dogz and Catz), the virtual pet simz.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
icabod, 7 Mar 2007 @ 2:07am

Double posts?
Hmm, I keep getting double posts for my comments. Weird.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
icabod, 7 Mar 2007 @ 2:07am

Double posts?
Hmm, I keep getting double posts for my comments. Weird.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
|333173|3|_||3, 7 Mar 2007 @ 2:38am

Re: Double Posts
You are double-clicking the submit button. Relax. It takes a while to react.
Don't take my post like an insult, I have done it in the past. At least on TD you don't get rankings based on your posts, so you don't get flamed about it.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
icabod, 7 Mar 2007 @ 3:16am

Re: Re: Double Posts
That's just it, I'm not double-clicking. I'll load up Tamper Data and see if I can see what's happening on my side.
Sorry for an accidental thread hijack :)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
icabod, 7 Mar 2007 @ 3:16am

Re: Re: Double Posts
That's just it, I'm not double-clicking. I'll load up Tamper Data and see if I can see what's happening on my side.
Sorry for an accidental thread hijack :)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
icabod, 7 Mar 2007 @ 3:41am

Pets
On a more on-topic note, the article states that the groups says kids aren't getting a much exercise as when they play with pets. I had a cat (sadly missed) but she never caused me to exercise any more. That argument kind of depends on the pet in question being, say, a dog.
Perhaps less people are getting pets as they have less time to care for them? With all the advertising (especially around Christmas), maybe people are being more careful and sensible.

Off-topic, it looks like (my) company proxy authentication is causing some double-post issues. Trying with IE now to see if it's just a Firefox thing.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
billy, 7 Mar 2007 @ 6:26am

pets and video games
im a video gaming fanatic
i play games all the time
i also play with my cat before anything when i get home (after I change though)
haha, if I don't he won't stop meowing at me
he drags the entire freaking stick around by the string that is attached to it and follows me
making lots of noise
and meows while the thing is in his mouth, which my previous cat could not seem to do
although, my cat turns 1 human year old in 3 days
so he does have crazy much energy

spring is almost here, than he will probably be more loving since he can expend his energy outside (he is still paranoid of snow for the most part)
then he can do all the time what he currently only does in late evening, being,
follow me around the house and always sleep on the chair next to me

i love my kitty
but i still love video games
and easily have time for both
(i also exercise a lot, despite being a gamer, so eat that one researchers)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Rational Beaver, 7 Mar 2007 @ 8:23am

On the other hand, no kid has ever had his/her face bitten off by a controller (though the Wii may buck that trend).
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 7 Mar 2007 @ 9:44am

from the man't-best-friend dept
You just have to give kids something more challenging than pets these days.

On that note, tie said game console to a wild moose. Send the kids into the wilderness to hunt it down.
The kids WILL get the game back somehow.

PS In the heading of this article, "man't" is short for mantis. (man'ts are the shiznat)
[ link to this | view in thread ]