|
 |
Was your pet your Valentine this year? If so, you were not alone. A new survey has found that about 1/5 of Americans choose their pet as they Valentine. Some people simply did not have a human mate to celebrate the holiday with and substituted their pets while others prefer spending the day with someone or something that does not talk back or give them headaches.
Valentine’s Day is about love and companionship. Dogs or other pets are perfect companions when it comes to that. Pets provide unconditional love, but the same cannot always be said for fellow humans.
For example, this year I decided my dog, Lizzie, would be my Valentine. My husband does not really get into holidays, especially one that “is made up by the greeting card industry and forces men to ‘prove’ their love by buying chocolates and flowers.” Lizzie on the other hand was more than happy to spend all day with me doing nothing else but playing and spending time with me.
It worked out really well. My husband did sort of get in the spirit by bringing me coffee in bed and spending some extra time cuddling with me but then he was done. Lizzie and I spent the remainder of the day together. I could tell that she understood that day was special. I showered her with attention and extra treats. I even held her chew toy while she munched on it (she really enjoys that but I try not to do it because she is a big strong chewer and does not need my fingers that close to her mouth). Lizzie and I were happy spending the day together and my husband was happy that he did not have to do anything related to the holiday.
I had no idea so many people in America chose their pets as their Valentine, though. Reuters/Ipsos, who surveyed 24,000 people in 23 countries, conducted the survey. They found that 27% of Americans chose their pets over a mate this year. The numbers were evenly split between men and women, with younger people more likely to choose a pet.
On the other hand, there are a number of people who think choosing a pet for a Valentine is going overboard or even crazy. Some even suggest that people who would rather spend time with animals instead of other humans seek professional help. According to one interviewee for the New York Daily News, “’I love my dog, but I definitely would rather spend it with my husband,’ said Tracy Sangprakarn, 29, who was walking 10-year-old Trick, a pit bull mix.” Another interviewee, Gary Merzlyak, responded, “That’s a little crazy, I think…. A little bit overboard.”
Now we want to know what you think. Post a comment below with the following information:
- Was your Valentine your pet this year?
- Have you ever chosen your pet as your Valentine?
- If so, why did you choose your pet over a human companion?
- If not, do you think this is “going overboard” or “crazy” and why?
|
About the author:
Kayleigh has always loved animals and has spent time volunteering at the local dog shelter. The love of her life is her four year old Rottweiler, Lizzie. She enjoys writing for YeePet.com since it combines her love of animals with one of her favor...
more >>
|
See something on the Internet that you'd like us to profile in this column? Anything about pet fashion, technology or interesting is good. Send us an email to editors@yeepet.com or leave a comment below.
|
|
Why Yeepet is great for 
