unknown
May 3, 2026
David Sedaris on dogs and the people who obsess over them
I don't get dogs anymore, don't understand why they need to be in grocery stores and on airplanes. You never see them tied up outside shops or restaurants nowadays. They have to be inside, no different from people.
TL;DR
- The author questions why dogs are now expected to be inside stores and on airplanes, unlike in the past.
- A New York Times article describes a woman suing the owner of a male dog after her female dog was impregnated in a park.
- The woman sought compensation for pregnancy and puppy care, which the male dog's owner refused, offering an abortion instead.
- The author contrasts this with his childhood experience, where family dogs had litters with no cost or pre-natal care.
- Puppies from his childhood were given away freely, with no responsibility taken for their future well-being.
- The author finds the modern approach to dog ownership, including potential legal disputes and elaborate care, to be excessive and perplexing.