Substituting for Children Redux

This out of London:

Dog-lovers have taken 2.7 million working days off to care for their sick pets over the last two years, according to a survey on Thursday.

Ten percent of owners missed five days of work, with half of these taking up to two weeks off to look after their pets.

Dog owners are so concerned about their pooches' wellbeing that 55 percent admitted they paid more attention to sick pets than an ill partner.

Fifty-three percent of owners also said they bought their dogs a present if their pets were feeling under the weather.

Link.