National Love Your Pet Day

Cats&DogsWe all love our pets, every day of the year, but February 20th has been set aside as National Love Your Pet Day. Most households in the United States have at least one pet, with dogs being slightly more popular than cats, but only by a slim margin. Approximately 39% of US households own at least one dog, and 33% own at least one cat.

Of course, pets are not limited to the canine and feline categories; there are quite a few folks who prefer the companionship of birds, reptiles, a tank full of fish, or exotic animals. Whether your pet companion purrs, growls, tweets, or roars, spending a little extra time together on National Love Your Pet Day can yield benefits for both of you.

Here are just a few of the many things our pets do for us:

  • Relieve stress
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Get us outdoors
  • Make us laugh
  • Comfort us
  • Provide companionship
  • Help us meet new people
  • Foster feelings of security
  • Reduce anxiety
  • Help stop panic attacks
  • Provide protection
  • Encourage us to play
  • Add structure to our days
  • Boost our mood
  • Give unconditional love

Stong Spirit, Inspiring Tales by Current CatalogStories abound of pets saving their owners’ lives, providing them with inspiration, even rescuing abandoned babies. Pets come with some pretty amazing physical and mental health benefits, for young and old alike. For children, owning a pet can be a great way to teach commitment. If you choose a dog or cat for your family pet, that commitment can last as long as 10 to 15 years, depending on the life of the animal. If your child is involved in the care of your pet, such as feeding, grooming, bathing, and exercising, valuable lessons can be learned about obedience, diligence, attention to detail, consistency, responsibility, compassion, time commitments, forgiveness, reciprocity, kindness, and love.

There are a lot of life lessons that can be learned through pet ownership. Unfortunately, one of those life lessons will entail dealing with the loss of a loved one at the end of your pet’s life. This may be the first time your child has to deal with genuine grief. Although this is a difficult lesson to learn, it is part of life and may help your child cope better with other losses in life.

Personalized Pet Treat Jar by Current CatalogPets bring a wealth of joy, happiness, companionship, and contentment to their owners. Why not do something special for your pet on February 20th, National Love Your Pet Day. It’s their special day, and we believe they have earned it.