Dogs were “man’s best friend” in 1954, and there were plenty of cats around as well. 

But the relationship between people and animals, both wild and domesticated ones, has widened considerably in the last 70 years.

One example came in the fall of ’54. That was when two television dramas, “Lassie” on CBS and “The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin” on NBC, debuted. While Rin Tin Tin only lasted a few years, Lassie was a Sunday night family fixture into the 1970s.

That was followed by the advent of real-life animal shows and films. Walt Disney championed live-action films with animal characters. And NBC aired “Wild Kingdom,” animal scenes filmed around the world and hosted by Lincoln Park Zoo director Marlin Perkins and, later, zoologist Jim Fowler.

The prevalence of animal heroes in the media made people more sympathetic to all forms of animal life. And it manifested itself in different ways.

The pet industry exploded, with superstores like Petco and PetSmart, and online merchants such as Chewy, not to mention whole aisles in big supermarkets. Communities set aside areas as dog parks, where canines could mingle with others of their species. Baseball teams created “Bark at the Park” so that dogs and fans could cheer their teams.

With non-pets, the depiction of animals’ lives inspired the creation of organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA, and the Humane Society of America, both joining the long-standing American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

And lots of people decided that part of that sentiment included not eating animals in any way, shape or form. Veganism, which not only forsook meat but any product that originated from an animal (i.e. honey, milk), was adopted by a large segment of the population, with such noted adherents as Paul McCartney and Bill Clinton.

My parents weren’t pet lovers (my Dad called every dog he saw Rex Cecil, as if it’s a real name) – and I imagine that’s a factor as to why I’m not either (although being bitten by dogs twice and attacked other times didn’t help). I think they probably would be surprised to the extent that animal loving has become so prevalent in society. 

But they probably wouldn’t bark too much about it.