Babies or Barkers by Ladfah Suwichacherdchu

The US birth rate has been declining for a decade and recently hit an all-time low. As of last year, there were more households with pets than with children in the US.

While financial concerns rank among the primary reasons why young Americans are having fewer babies or not having children at all, the US pet industry has exceeded $100 billion in sales. Dogs have become a popular alternative to parenthood, offering companionship, loyalty, and unconditional love. Giving rise to a profound question, are we replacing babies with dogs?