Richard Swerdlow: Dressed-Up Pets

Richard Swerdlow says the phenomenon of dressing our pets to look like, well, whatever has collided with the holiday season.

The holiday season has arrived in the Bay Area. Malls are decked with holly, and Union Square shop windows are filled with Christmas displays. One downtown department store has even revived a San Francisco holiday tradition — puppies and kittens in display windows.

In fact, pets as holiday décor seem to be everywhere. Social media of nearly every pet parent I know features photos of cats glaring at the camera while resentfully sporting Santa Hats, or baffled dogs wearing foam reindeer antlers. Not just cats and dogs — I've seen guinea pigs dressed as Grinches, a hamster in a red velvet Santa onesie and — I kid you not — a rabbit modeling ugly Christmas sweaters.

I suppose I should have seen this coming. After all, on Halloween, social media was overflowing with fluffy four-legged ghosts and witches, and I know a poodle who endured a pilgrim hat velcroed to his head through Thanksgiving dinner. And nothing says Fourth of July like a red, white and blue Uncle Sam ensemble for pets.

For some pets, fashion is not reserved for holidays. Just check out those internet famous catwalk-ready cats or puppies in Prada, including one model-thin Italian Greyhound whose custom couture landed her a photo shoot in Vogue Magazine.

Holiday-themed or not, wacky clothing for pets is more for the benefit of owners than animals. Seventy-five percent of pet owners said they’d put their pets in costumes, according to a Pet Smart survey. Animal experts say if your pet doesn't mind dressing up, it's fine. For some dogs, warm sweaters are a necessity on walks these chilly winter mornings.

So, if your furry faithful friends who are dear to you are okay with it, strap 'em into that elf outfit on Christmas Eve. But they better not cry, they better not pout. There's a fine line between holiday-themed fun and animal abuse.

After the last few years, we could all use some silliness. So merry Christmas to you and your pets! And if your St. Bernard is channeling St. Nick, I promise I won't laugh and call him names.

With a Perspective, I'm Richard Swerdlow.

Richard Swerdlow is a retired San Francisco teacher.