When you see a cute kitten, you can’t help but give it a quick hug.
But what if you have a pet who’s always been like that, but now it’s not?
That’s the dilemma pet owners face when it comes to the “kill switch” of pet ownership, or when someone tries to kill their pet, says Dr. Susan A. Stromberg, an assistant professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
When the switch is flipped, the person’s life is threatened.
The problem is, there’s no easy way to tell when it’s over.
Stomberg is the author of a new book, Kill Switch: The Science of Pet Ownership, and she has been speaking about the subject at veterinary schools, pet conferences and online gatherings for more than a year.
“We need to be able to say with confidence that the owner will never do something like that again,” Stomberger says.
“This isn’t something you can do.
It’s not something that you’re going to get rid of.
It’ll always be there.”
What is a kill switch?
A kill switch is a behavioral cue that someone or something has the power to take away the life of a pet.
It is triggered by a series of events that can include: a sudden and violent attack from another pet
