Not just rural. But I also lived near an illegal immigrant area....they have a very different view of pets. Also, they're poor and have troubles. Their dogs are the last thing on their minds. It's sad. If their dogs got out of the yard, they didn't even bother looking for them. They didn't care. Country people are a little better than that, but have a rural view of animals and a harder view of life, IMO. Dogs with collars and tags and chips and toys would be considered sissy. Except maybe for the occasional man who would have his man's best friend kind of dog. And of course, hunters might have hunting dogs.
My dad, who was raised in the country, had that view of dogs. He didn't like 'em. He now denies that, but it's true. But people change with age. Now he has a huge pig. A pig! This is his fourth! He set up a room for his pig (the sunroom), specially heated, with a large igloo and blankies, and air conditioning. They spare no expense feeding the pigs. Yes, age changes you.
As for me...my dogs are spoiled rotten, fed well (too well!), microchipped, examined every year, shots, trained (to a degree), etc. They're both rescues, which brings its own set of problems. But, well, there you go.
