Hal Herzog's WIRED.com article called Why People Care more About Pets Than Other Humans made some insights that would astound most anyone...

Whether you are a pet owner or not, the article is a fascinating read, focusing on the relationship between humans and animals - or what many in the pet industry refer to as "the humanization of pets."  The following list are direct quotes and/or points from the article that I found to be especially interesting:

1.)  "Two thirds of Americans live with an animal..."

2.)  "...according to a 2011 Harris poll, 90 percent of pet owners think of their dogs and cats as members of the family."

3.)  "in a survey by the American Animal Hospital Association, 40 percent of married female dog owners reported they received more emotional support from their pet than from their husband or their kids..."

4.)  One of Herzog's colleagues spent over $12,000 on cancer treatments for her lab.

5.)  "...the number of dogs killed each year in “confrontational incidents” with cops is probably between 300 and 500 – about the same as human cop shootings."

6.)  A study by Northeastern sociologists confirmed that when people were given fake crime scenarios and the victims were a puppy, an infant human, an adult dog, and an adult human - the adult human gained the least sympathy and the infant human the most.  However, the puppy and an adult dog were not that behind.

All in all, it's a great read.  Check it out on WIRED.com if you want to read the full article in it's completion.

Just expect one prevalent theme: In many scenarios, we do, in fact "value animals over people."

For more interesting dog/pet news and reports, stay connected with us @SportLeash on: