It's a nice excuse to spoil your pets.
Pip is anticipating his "National Love Your Pet" snacks.
According to spots.com, two out of every three American households have a pet, bringing the total number of pets to over 393 million.
In Ohio, 62.4 percent of all households are affected.
It's no surprise, then, that National Love Your Pet Day, an unofficial holiday observed on February 20, continues to grow in popularity.
While dogs and cats are the most common pets in the United States, they are not alone. Dogs (40 percent), cats (25 percent), fish (8 percent), birds (4 percent), hamsters, gerbils, and mice are the next most popular pets, according to a pet marketing agency (2 percent ).
They all deserve to be cherished, so thank goodness there's a special day set out for it.
My sister, Beth, and I had parakeets, fish, hermit crabs, and a long-awaited dog named Maxie when we were kids. Even when she ate the bottom row of Christmas tree decorations and we had to make sure what she ate came back out, the Miniature Schnauzer was perfect, I thought. For days, the dog had glittery poop. It was hilarious when I was a youngster.
Gallup pollsters discover that our desire for pets is driven by companionship and a love of animals. What struck me about the data was that a considerably higher percentage of cat owners (14%) than dog owners (3%), said they "rescued" a pet in need of a new home.
That's how Ed and I got our first cat, Bailey. The tabby appeared in our garage one summer day, and we had a new family member in less than a week. Abby and Pip, our two other tuxedo cats, were also rescued.
In one survey, Americans' top five replies on how they show affection to pets were: playing with them (15%), giving them treats and gifts (13%), snuggling (12%), saying them "I love you" (10%), and spending quality time with them (10%). (10 percent ).
Men and women both answered someone who treats their pet like a family member (22 percent), someone who exhibits outward passion for animals (19 percent), and someone who is a pet parent when asked what they find attractive in persons they date (12 percent ).
Fritz, Ed's Miniature Schnauzer, was also a part of his childhood. I never met him, but his antics are legendary, like the night he nearly crashed Ed's parents' cocktail party. His awful odor floated among the mingling visitors after he helped himself to a large tray of freshly cooked deviled eggs.
The goal of National Love Your Pet Day is to indulge and pamper pets. And we, as a country, do exactly that. According to the American Pet Product Association, we will spend $103.6 billion on our pets in 2020, with food and treats accounting for the largest percentage of the market at $42 billion. With $31.4 billion, veterinary care and products came in second.
Teddy, our dog, and Pip, our cat, will undoubtedly receive an extra goodie or two from me on National Love Your Pet Day, despite the fact that one nudge or rub from each of them typically suffices.
The Dog Writers Association of America has Karin Spicer as a member. She shares her home with her family and two furry companions that provide her with inspiration. Spicerkarin@gmail.com is her email address.
LOVE YOUR PET ON A NATIONAL LEVEL
Countries that celebrate pet holidays as well.
Latvia
Poland
Italy
Japan
Thailand
