
Highlighting the consequences of decades of U.S. policies that have contributed to rising economic inequality, a new study released Tuesday by Stanford University’s Center on Poverty and Inequality found a widening gap between the nation’s rich pets and poor citizens. “Our data shows a rapidly increasing disparity between Americans living in poverty and the top 1% of Americans’ pets,” said study co-author Madeline Greggs, adding that from access to high-quality food and stable housing to consistent medical care, the average pet of a rich American family had a significantly higher quality of life than a vast majority of low-income Americans.