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A dog is man's best friend, basically the presence of a faithful companion, is one explanation for the rise in pet ownership.
Dog ownership is on the rise around the world, correlating to the decline in age of marriage and delays in childbearing. Given the slowing (and eventual reversal) of the global population birth rate, that means pets will demand an growing share of personal income, emotional investment, and technological innovation. Will and Paul are joined by Natalie Dowzicky (flatmate of the fabulous Corgi pup Pippa, who is on the list of Capitol Hill pooches to watch) to discuss these trends, various gadgets and apps designed for pet owners, and the prospect of cloned or robotic pets in future society.
Legal Disclaimer: No dogs—named Marley or otherwise—were harmed in the recording of this episode.
Are pets just accessories? Why has pet ownership increased? Is pet ownership a new way to find community? What is the difference between pets and livestock? Will people have pet robots in the future?
Why Are So Many Millennials Opting for Pets, Not Parenthood?, written by Erin Lowry
This is What the Senate Looks Like Through the Eyes of a Puppy, written by Katherine Tully-McManus
How Social Change Helps Explain Our Pet Choices, written by Hal Herzog
Pets Are Not Children, So Stop Calling Them That, written by M.A. Wallace
Printing Pills for Pets, Building Tomorrow Podcast
Swiping Right for Love, Building Tomorrow Podcast
The Collapse of Local Community, Free Thoughts Podcast
Will Duffield is a research assistant at Cato's First Amendment Project.
Natalie Dowzicky is managing editor of video and podcasts at Reason.
In addition to her work with Reason, she is the blog editor at America's Future. In 2019, she completed the Writing Fellows program run by America's Future and received their Rising Star award. In 2020, she completed Atlas Networks' Leader Lab where she won the John Blundell Elevator Pitch competition.
Previously, she was the manager of Libertarianism.org, a project of the Cato Institute, and a co-host of the popular culture and politics podcast, Pop & Locke.
Dowzicky is a graduate of the University of Richmond where she studied leadership and Latin American studies. She grew up outside of Philadelphia, but currently lives in Arlington, Virginia.