As a youngster where I grew up in a small village in the Egyptian delta, dogs lived outside or in the fields. My relationship with dogs was aloof, fraught with mutual disrespect. As a kid, when I saw I dog, I reached for a rock or a stick. Now living in America, I reach for my camera. My attitude toward animals and dogs has shifted and transformed drastically. America is considered a dog nation and has transformed from “one nation under God” to “one nation under dog.” It is estimated that 60-80 million dogs are owned in United States. Roughly half of all households in the United Stated have dogs.
Americans spend roughly 60 billion dollars on pets every year including: toys, gifts, grooming, food, traveling and health – 16 billion on dogs alone. (Source APPA)
