Blamed for... The demise of animal companions down under
After research commissioned by the Australian Companion Animals Council revealed a dramatic drop-off in pet ownership down under, the Australian Veterinary Association hitched a ride on the videogames-are-bad bandwagon and made the seemingly unsubstantiated claim that computer games were partly to blame for kids overlooking the joy of unconditional love that a family pet can offer.
"These days children interact more by playing computer games and less by going out there and throwing the ball to a dog," said AVA president, Dr. Kersti Seksel. "We need to learn people skills, physical skills, and sitting in the lounge room with a computer doesn't teach you that." As Seksel points out, having a dog is definitely great for nurturing those all-important people skills, especially if you have friends that enjoy chasing bicycles, licking their own balls and running around like a demented hell hound whenever the door bell rings.
Above: So cute, but unlike their digital alternatives, they shit on the carpet
Verdict: Videogames - guilty or not guilty?
Not guilty, due to a shocking lack of evidence. You can't just go around making stuff up. How would the AVA like it if we insinuated that the real reason pet ownership was going to the dogs in Australia was due to the astronomical fees charged by their member vets? Or because scooping up a steaming dog log with a transparent bag over your hand just isn't as much fun as playing Okami.
