I used to work at a small chain grocery store on the island in SC where my family lived. Everyone at the store knew my family because it was just a short walk from my home to the store, and my mom was the main courier for the island. So, my manager knew all about my mom working 10hr days, and my little brother being disabled. My brother doesn't have use of his legs because his spine stopped developing in the womb. He had a dog that was part husky, part rottweiler, named Wubbie. One day when Wubbie was 11 years old, he suddenly died while sleeping in his giant bed in our kitchen. My mom woke me up at 5am to tell me, making it clear that my little brother CANNOT see his dog like this. But Wubbie weighed 80lbs, and his bed was right next to the kitchen door. So, I had to call out of work to take care of this. My mom's job was leagues more important, while I only had a shift to work 4hrs in the produce department. I got friends to come over to help me take care of Wubbie, and break the news to my brother. It was one of the hardest days of my life.
The next day, I had a similar shift scheduled, and I came in despite still being distraught. My manager scolded me for calling out the previous day, saying the words that burned into my brain and made me loathe this man. “It was just a dog.” He knew that my little brother would have woken up and gone to get breakfast after I left for work. He knew that he would have to see his dog dead in our kitchen, and be alone for hours. But this man thought it was more important that I show up to make sure the apples were arranged correctly. I would have earned just 32$ for that shift.
Dogs have been our companions for longer than currency exchange has existed. To many people, our pets are on the same level as our human family members (even higher, when it comes to crappy family). But when corporate interest get to dictate what counts as important, human empathy erodes.