In the U.S., and probably throughout the western world at least, so many adore animals that it's easy to forget that not everyone has that exposure.
I have a brother who married a gal in Nicaragua, and after two frustrating years was finally able to bring her and her 12yo son to the U.S. The household already had a semi-invalid matriarch, lots of medical personnel visiting, a grown son and girlfriend returning, as well as my brother's family. In addition to all the human members, there's dogs and cats that live there, as well as others visiting. It's not a particularly large house, nor is the yard very large.
The wife and son didn't have pets in Nicaragua. So, unlike the snow and wind, which they've enjoyed experiencing, it's been quite an adjustment for them to suddenly be in a household with lots of animals. There's the frustration of cats always being on the kitchen counters and knocking things off, and the son just plain afraid of the dogs -- to the point of where he's agitated the pitbull and beat another dog with a pillow.
It's easy to wonder, "Why can't they just enjoy the animal companionship?", but that would be unappreciative of a life without exposure to domestic pets. So many of us have pets, and adore our pets and livestock, that it's difficult to conceive of a life without critters. And especially a life that doesn't see their value.
I so love all the critters I've had, and all the contact I've had with others that weren't mine but that I had moments of interaction with or observation of. I can't imagine a life without literal creature comforts.
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