According to data of the National Institute of Statistics, there are three million more dogs than children in Spain. The figures vary in each autonomous community. Spain's average is 12.7 dogs for every ten children, while in the Autonomous Community of Navarra the ratio is 10.6.

Opinion on the desirability of adopting dogs as pets is very divided. Some people think it is a fad; others think it is a way to receive affection without the responsibility and cost of having a new child. There is no shortage of those who see the pet as therapy for elderly people living alone. Of the latter, there are currently 24,000 cases in the Autonomous Community of Navarre.

For those who live with unwanted loneliness, every day is the same and the hours become monotonous. As a consequence, health deteriorates, with possible psychological disorders. Some research shows that living with a pet can prevent or alleviate this problem. The companionship and affection offered by pets tends to elevate mood and reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. The presence of a pet in the home encourages physical activity, either by walking or playing with it.

Along with this possibility related to welfare staff, living with a pet has some risks. One of them is the excessive affinity of the owner with his pet, which is expressed by the term petophilia. It is the manifestation of a deep bond that goes beyond being simple companion animals: the pet is considered a member of the family.

With the recent publication in Spain of the Animal Welfare Law (7/23 of March 28th) dogs have gained such a great prominence in this society that they now run the risk of "humanization". Humanizing dogs consists in attributing to them some characteristics that do not correspond to their species, but to the human one.

It is not uncommon to find dogs that are given birthday celebrations and are driven around in strollers. It is also common to see cases of dogs that are forbidden to get dirty or play running with other dogs. In this way, their true nature is restricted, since they are prevented from acting like what they really are: dogs. A humanized dog is a dog that lives in constant frustration. That is why many experts say that humanization is another form of animal abuse.