We all love our pets. That’s an indisputable fact. No matter their size, species, or personality, we would never dream of leaving them behind. So what if I told you that there was a day where we celebrate our love for them? A single day where you can treat your pets like royalty? This day, in fact, is February 20th, which is also known as National Love Your Pet Day.
First, let’s get down to the facts. Roughly 70% of U.S. families have a pet, and nearly a third of that have more than one. According to amva.org, 42.6% of U.S. households own a dog, while a lesser 32.6% own a cat. However, families with cats have a larger chance of having more than one. Finally, 70% of people agree that people who have dogs seem happier, as stated in canine.org.
These are great statistics. However, they all came off of the internet. Let’s get a real-life opinion from seventh grade teacher Mrs. Jennifer Norato, a pet owner with years of experience.
“So growing up I had a lot of dogs, cats, and more unusual animals such as a chinchilla, frogs, turtles, hamsters, etc…Currently I only have cats, fish, and snails. I have fostered thousands of cats, raising them from prenatal stages until they are adoptable.” Norato explains.
“My little dog named Mako, he has been with me through lots of difficult changes in my life.”
Unfortunately, Mako passed away ten years ago, at 16 ½ years of age. Norato also told us she has lots of senior pets, and deaths are common in her pet family, such as one that occurred just last week. She is someone who has experienced the full circle of life in her pet family.
However, despite the hardships of pet death, I’m sure many people would agree that the enjoyment that stems from a pet’s life is worth the hard death at the end. Many studies show that people with pets have happier, fuller lives, and have decreased depression rates.
Someone else who feels the happiness that a pet brings is seventh grader Ava Samuels.
“I have a dog…she was a rescue, but we don’t really know her story or what happened before she went into foster care…we named her Penny because she looks like a penny.”
When asked if Samuels likes her pet, and if she believes Penny likes her back, she responded with, “I love my pet. Out of me and my two siblings, I think Penny likes me the best.” She also agreed that she feels Penny gives her a happier life.
Not all pets have a happy ending like Norato’s senior animals, though. Seventh grader Yohana Ambrosio-Ramrirez’s German Shepard mix Toby had a tragic accident outside of her home.
“He died at age eleven. The other dogs killed him.” she recalls.
This is something no pet owner should ever have to go through. But it is that love for your pet that keeps you going. That is why this day should be celebrated. It is a way to give a little extra love to the pets you own, and as a way to remember the ones that have been lost.
As Ambrosio-Ramirez says, “No one will ever be like him. Even if I have other pets, I will always remember him.”
