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i don't think their nuts. and while you may not agree with the child/pet analogy, it's the closest thing they have to offer a comparison so that you understand just how strongly they feel about their pet.
i don't have kids, but (fortunately for me), my parents do. my parents also have dogs. i know my parents love me and if it were my life or the dogs', i know they'd choose me. however, if they were invited to go to a gathering where they couldn't take their pets--i really doubt they'd go (at least, they haven't done so since having dogs). they take a single vacation once a year without dogs or children (children are all grown now, but they've done this for years) and that is it. if the yearly vacation didn't involve flying, i have no doubt the dogs would have gone while the children stayed home. now, they don't always take all 4 dogs with them when they go somewhere, but they will take at least one (usually 2).
their dogs are part of the family. others can say what they want, no one really cares since my entire family feels this way. even my grandmother who was adamant about no dogs in the house, finally broke down and let the dogs stay inside because if she hadn't, visits to grandma's would have been day trips rather than weekend plus.
this is the lifestyle my parents have chosen. if they can't take their pets, they'd rather not go. i'm sure they have passed on lots of gatherings because others don't understand or agree with their feelings. but they prefer staying home with their pets to leaving home without them. they don't feel they've missed out on anything--if the dogs aren't welcome, they don't feel welcome.
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