This book is a social commentary inspired by the writings of two theorists, Foucault and Williamson, who made important statements on the modern values that often leave people feeling isolated and unsatisfied in today's communities.

Rose quotes Williamson as saying that people are "made to identify themselves with what they consume..." (Rose2000) and Foucault (quoted in Hall1997) went further in saying the discursive formation of a consumer ideology has reached far into the value system of today's society, creating a myth that is promoted and continually reproduced by capitalism and mass media.

Even the simplest of relationships, that between owners and their pets, falls victim to these modern consumer values. Historically this relationship has been used as a visual tool to represent domestic peace and normality.
In the context of this book it becomes a powerful vehicle by which to reach people on an emotive and personal level.