Daval

Americans pick pet over partner for desert island


NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than two thirds of Americans would rather be stranded on a desert island with their pet than with their partner, a poll showed on Thursday.
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The survey of 1,105 pet owners by Petplan, a provider of health insurance for dogs and cats, also found more than half threw parties for their pets, nearly 70 percent share their beds with a pet, 63 percent cook for their pets and 68 percent dress their pets up.

Americans spent about $48 billion on pets in 2007, according to U.S. consumer research company Packaged Facts.

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Now, this article made me laugh. At first I thought it was ridiculous, but afterwards I started to even agree with the basic idea. I don't know if I could survive with my wife on a deserted island for very long. I think we would fight like crazy about everything and anything. She'd probably spend the days blaming me for getting us stuck on the island in the first place.

A pet however is going to give you unconditional love, loyalty and companionship.

Lets pretend that you had the choice, who or what would you want to be stranded with?

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snowy

My significant other, hands down. He can do a lot more to help me than a cat can. I love my kitties, but they'd be worthless in a survival situation. My SO is an Eagle Scout and an experienced backpacker who knows how to bow drill a fire; he also has other valuable survival skills.

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anti fishstick

that's like asking who you love more. As much as I love my dog, I'd have to say I love my partner even more.

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Daval

I'm an eagle scout as well, she doesn't have any outdoor skills.

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Cynthetiq

SO of course I think it's absurd that people do more for their animals than their fellow human beings first. Of course right down the street from my office is Harness Dog.

Look at this blog to see some of the designer items for dogs....

Bee-Boppin' the Boroughs: 10: SOHO

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BadNick

I'm surprised I'm the first to vote "other" ...and by that I mean an other significant other, not a pet. I love my wife but wouldn't want to be stranded on a desert island with her....is that so bad?

PonyPotato

Most people know I'm dating Crompsin. I'd totally take him over my cat/horse on an island. Sure, my cat might be able to feed herself.. but she'd be a liability. Horses take a lot of effort to feed and a single injury can be devastating. Crompsin has great survival skills and I'm positive that if we got stranded he'd have tons of useful tools with him (as usual). We get along quite well, especially when we have work to do.. so building a shelter, finding food, cooking food, cleaning, etc. would be fine for both of us.

We were actually watching a (badly) dubbed version of Robinson Crusoe last night, so this thread is amusingly related. I was actually extremely interested in Crusoe being stranded with only a dog to keep him company.. and talking to the dog was really his only way to hold onto his humanity. When the dog died, he was devastated and really became "wild." I'm sure that having a human companion would be more fulfilling than an animal (humans have imaginations, can tell stories, etc.), as well as generally more useful.. though it would be particularly painful if something were to happen to him/her.

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telekinetic

how deserted is this island in terms of food? can i take my pregnant pet rabbit?

Willravel

At first I had the same response as most here, but thinking about it I'm not 100% sure. People are complex animals. I've dated a women who broke up with me because she misunderstood something I said in passing over the phone. While this doesn't describe my current SO, I could imagine that the stress of being on a deserted island could drive a wedge between two people.

Jack, my beagle, loves me unconditionally. I treat him well, but even if I didn't he would be loyal to the bitter end. Under no imaginable circumstances, besides death, would Jack ever abandon me. There's no spite and no chance of miscommunication. Not only that, but beagles have an uncanny sense of smell. Jack is a direct descendant of skilled hunting dogs, and has all the abilities necessary to locate food built into his genome via breeding. While I've not raised Jack to hunt, I believe that in the right situation he could aid in the location of small game. That skill would be invaluable.

Honestly, I don't necessarily see it as as simple "Oh, well I love my SO more" kinda thing. Am I being too pragmatic?

ShaniFaye

Would I be assured my cats would have a good home while Im on the island?

duh of course I'd pick dave

I'd build the first dungeon under a coconut tree!!!

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PonyPotato

Yes, but couldn't the stress of being on a desert island also provide great amounts of time to think, talk, and forgive silly actions? In my mind, survival would probably bring two people together.. unless they were on Survivor, of course.

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Ayashe

I believe as much as I love my pets I would end up talking to them like Wilson the volleyball in the movie Cast away, no thanks. I also know that with a pet I would end up caring for them to the detriment of my own health. I would have difficulties with seeing my pet wasting away and would have to spend a large deal of time scouting for resources for the both of us. I doubt either of my dogs or my cat would be all that helpful.

I would miss the companionship of my SO, I would be in tears wondering and worrying about his worry with me away. It would be devastating to be literally lost without him. The choice for me would be easy.

Daval

Well said and that is exactly where I am coming from as well. I do love my wife, she is my mate. Would we get along together stranded on a deserted island? No way.

Would we get along on a private island in the bahamas with a boat where we could get away any time? Hell yeah, would be an awesome trip!

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PonyPotato

Also: has anyone thought about the lifespan of a pet vs. the lifespan of a human? If you're stuck on an island for 40 years, are you really going to want to have your first 10 with a pet or perhaps that entire time with another human?

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Tully Mars

Don't have an SO and as much as I love my dogs they'd be a huge liability. I think I'd almost prefer to be stranded alone. Wouldn't have personality issues with anyone. Of course that would depend on how long of a stranding we're talking about, after a while might end up arguing with myself. But I'd only have to provide food, water and shelter for one.

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Daval

In my deserted island fantasy, I am assuming its an island like on Gilligans Island, big enough that food isn't too difficult to come by.

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The Faba

I voted other.

I really wouldn't want my fiance to be stranded on a desert isle... mainly because that would suck a lot... in fact I can't think of very many people that I would want stranded there. (Oh, there are a few)

I'd want to be stranded on a desert isle with Fred Phelps.
Or with Bear Grylls. That way I'd get back home.

ShaniFaye

I really think I'd want someone I could have sex with, my sex life may be out of the ordinary, but it does NOT include animals lol

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Willravel

I'm glad you've found someone to handle the good AND bad with.

Stress tends to bring out the darker, normally repressed stuff in people. Having to locate food every day, establishing reliable housing, defense from predators... these could very easily lend to a deeply stressful environment. We're all kinda coddled in our homes and apartments, cut off from the things our ancestors had to deal with. The stresses now—money and work problems, tax problems, getting stuck in traffic—must be vastly different than the stress one feels when there are predatory animals around and the fact that you have to locate clean water instead of just popping over to Safeway. It would, imho, take an incredibly strong and open relationship to deal with that. I'm fairly secure in my current relationship, but I don't know if I'm THAT secure.

The life span thing is a good point, though. I hadn't considered that.

Tully Mars

Shake head indeed.

I caught some comedian the other night on Comedy Central his take on Survivor was basically- put me on an island with 15 strangers and tell me the last one there gets a million bucks. Yeah, you're waking up in the morning to 14 corpses.

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ASU2003

That is great. I have to use that joke.


I would pick a SO, even though I don't have one. The only downside is that there is no birth control or condoms, and dealing with a pregnant woman is hard enough at a comfortable modern home, let alone on an island in the middle of nowhere. So, it is the fact that sex would be tempting, but you can't have it due to the consequences later that would get to you.

However, it is actually one of my fantasies to spend 5-7 days alone on an island with a girlfriend though. But, there will be some supplies.

abaya

Depends on the individuals involved, Will. Not everyone responds the same way to the same stimuli. Although I agree, this applies to the majority of people.

It's nowhere near a desert island, but ktsp's and my recent 35 mile hike over 3 days (carrying 35 lbs each in our packs) in the Icelandic interior was pretty damn stressful--especially when I became a blistered bitch by the last day, and when he became paralyzed while crossing a glacial river while almost pulling me down into the water with him. Yeah, we saw some very different sides of each other, during that experience--but that doesn't mean it caused us to grow apart. As Merleniau said, it added even more to our bond, going through that together--and living to tell about it.

That said, if we're looking at the quiet, consistent (but useless for survival) companionship of a pet, vs. the perhaps problematic, but ultimately extremely useful (both for survival and human presence--even if you start to hate that other person)--yes, I'll take the spouse, hands down. Worst-case scenario: I'd rather survive (even if the experience led to divorce, back on the mainland) than die holding a useless furball.

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Reese

Survey is a little bias, don't ya think?

I mean.. There's only a few types of people that buy pet insurance.. Million dollar breed owners and crazy people! It's like asking subscribers of Bear Magazine if they liked hairy chests or shaved ones then going on and saying Americans like hairy chests!

Oh.. I voted for Pet.. because I wouldn't feel too bad if I had to slaughter the little fella and eat em for dinner.

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Grasshopper Green

I get the Bear Grylls...but Fred Phelps?

My pets are birds...they'd fly away if I got stuck with them. Not that I'd choose a cat or dog over hubby...but it's completely unrealistic to get stuck with them. I'd definitely take hubby over a pet.

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Bear Cub

I'd bring my S.O. Worst case scenario, she looks as though her thighs would be succulent and tender.

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biznatch

Hm. My dog is a 100 lb South African mastiff (Boerboel). I think he'd be great for hunting, defense, all of that, and for survival, probably the best thing(for about 10 years).
However, my wife would be somebody to talk to, and help keep my sanity (or help me lose it, if the stress gets too bad). I'm not sure what I'd choose. And yeah, the no condom thing would be kind of scary. Imagine trying to deliver a child on a desert island... and then providing it with proper nutrition, trying to protect it from disease..
Most "stuck on a desert island" questions are tough, but for this one I think I'd choose my wife, even though she would NOT do well on a desert island (I'm not saying I would, but I tend to deal with stress better than she does).

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sapiens

You're post reflects what I was thinking. If I had to be stranded with someone, I would not want that someone to be my wife. I would rather she was safe with our children. Hopefully, she would have taken out a massive insurance policy on me.

So, Fred Phelps sounds reasonable. Though, I'm not sure he has enough meat on his bones....

Lubeboy

A better question, if you had a choice to save your best animal friend or a human, who would you save?

Tully Mars

Umm, Human.

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blahblah454

If my best animal friend was in a fight to the death to stop a home invader intent on raping my mother and then murdering her I would help the dog out, kill the human save the dog. Does that count?

jewels

I'd take the guy with me. We'd have plenty of time to iron out any issues or tension that would arise.

And besides, why hasn't anyone even mentioned SEX?!?!? I'll take the man, thank you very much.

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Tully Mars

Yeah but you have an SO. Maybe if I had an SO I'd change my answer. Either that or having an SO might make me want to get stranded on a island alone. So, I guess it would depend on the lady in question. I sure as hell wouldn't want to end up with someone who wouldn't help out with the basics. A whiner would be awful, no matter how a great a lay.

And sex is great, but won't provide you shelter, food and water.

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jewels

Technically, I don't have an SO. Just sometimes.

But after we hunt and build a home, sex would help keep us from dying of boredom.

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Poppinjay

Since she's pregnant right now, probably the dogs. That way, she could continue with her current health care provider and we wouldn't have to search for a witch doctor who is on her PPO.

Both our dogs lived on the streets and in the woods before we adopted them. One can actually catch birds in mid flight. The other has gotten kind of used to the cushy life, but was a formidable frogger back in the day.

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Jimellow

I'm quite certain there is no person I'd like to be isolated on a desert island with.

I would honestly consider being sent to a desert island with someone else punishment compared to being sent there alone, or with a pet of my choosing.

Given the divorce rate in America, I am not surprised at all by the general consensus to select a pet over a person. Sending someone to a desert island with another person is exponentially worse than marriage, and I'm quite certain I would tire of the other person within one month. Conversely, I could see myself living on an island with any of the many pets I've had throughout life, or even one I haven't met yet. Animals are just more appreciative and fun to spend time with on a regular basis than people.

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Tully Mars

Sorry from your posts I just assumed...

I don't have any experience being stranded but after hunting, gathering and building you might find yourself too wore out to knock one out.

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ShaniFaye

I mentioned it way up in post 18 and sadly I think it got overlooked lol

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I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!