Definition of entitled ~ believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.
I caught the end of the news the other morning, where the headlines read ‘Pet owners feel that they should have the same benefits and privileges as those of a parent of a child’. And a woman was being interviewed as to why she was wanting a bill passed in parliament. Thew news anchors were trying very hard to be diplomatic and understanding of her stance.
Her argument is that her dog was like her child, she chose not to have children, but to have a dog instead and she wanted to be able to take days off if her pet was ill, just as a parent may need to. Or time off work to take him/her to the vet. And compensation!
She was questioned – how many days would you need to take off to care for your dog and her reply as long as it takes for him/her to feel better, but maybe not longer than a week. They said, but she chose to have the dog and her argument is that people choose to have children. She had a bond with her pet the same as the way a parent has a bond with their child. Which is true for I would say of 90% of pet owners.
Then the question was given to her – ‘What about people who have a cat?’ – Yes they also are entitled to days off to care for their animal. The debate went on for a while until the question, ‘And what about a budgie or a goldfish?’ Oh no – that is just being stupid – the privileges/benefits are only for people with dogs or cats! That is when the interviewers really battled not to start laughing. So if someone has a budgie, or a goldfish, or a hamster as a pet – a pet which they have bonded with – they are not entitled to the same privileges as you who has decided to have a dog as a pet? So choose your pet wisely!!!!
I sat there listening to this – flabbergasted – this was on headline news? Surely, surely they were taking the mickey. If it had taken place tomorrow – 1 April I would have understood – cannot believe that there are people out there who feel so entitled. The world is a crazy place right now and I wonder and worry about where it all might end.
Diary of the peregrinating granny from South Africa 