Accountable Healthcare - National Love Your Pet Day – February 20, 2020
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February 20, 2020

National Love Your Pet Day – February 20, 2020

On February 20, we celebrate National Love Your Pet Day, a day to embrace one special trait that makes us human: our love of our pets! There are many things that differentiate humans from the rest of the animal kingdom, but one of the more unusual behaviors is our longstanding tendency to keep other animals as pets. While there have been a handful of other animals that have been observed keeping pets — Koko the gorilla and her cats are one well-known example — we’re the only species where it’s a common occurrence. Gallup reports that sixty percent of Americans are current pet owners. It only makes sense to commemorate something that’s so important to so many people, so on February 20, we celebrate our pets with Love Your Pet Day!

National Love Your Pet Day - Survey Results

Data insights generated by a top San Francisco PR Firm:

FULL RANKING OF THE MOST POPULAR PETS IN AMERICA 

#1: Dog (40%)
#2: Cat (25%)
#3: Fish (8%)
#4: Bird (e.g. parakeet, cockatiel, parrot, etc.) (4%)
#5: Hamster/gerbil/mouse (2%)
#6: Snake (2%)
#7: Horse (2%)
#8: Guinea pig (1%)
#9: Lizard (e.g. iguana, chameleon, gecko, etc.) (1%)
#10: Tarantula (1%) 

HOW DO YOU SHOW AFFECTION TO YOUR PET?
#1: I play with my pet (15%)
#2: I give my pet treats and gifts (13%)
#3: I cuddle with my pet (12%)
#4: I tell my pet, “I love you” (10%)
#5: I hang out with my pet (e.g. watch TV, read books, etc.) (10%)
#6: I let my pet sleep in my bed with me (9%)
#7: I carry on conversations with my pet (9%)
#8: I kiss my pet (9%)
#9: I go places with my pet (e.g. the beach, on road trips, etc.) (5%)
#10: I dress my pet up in costume (2%) 

WHICH PET-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS DO YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE IN YOUR DREAM GIRL OR GUY?
#1: Someone who treats their pet like a family member (22%)
#2: Someone who expresses outward affection to animals (19%)
#3: Someone who is a pet parent (12%)
#4: Someone who greets other people’s pets at the park (9%)
#5: Someone who lets their pet sleep in their bed with them (9%)
#6: Someone who purchases gifts for their pet (7%)
#7: Someone who talks to their pet in a special voice (6%)
#8: Someone who modifies their schedule to spend time with their pet (5%) 

CATS ARE MORE POPULAR AMONG WOMEN THAN MEN
26% of women have a pet cat, compared to 22% of men. 

National Love Your Pet Day Activities

  1. Show your pet something new
    Just like us, our pets love seeing new places! Has your dog ever been to the beach? If not, consider taking a road trip to celebrate National Love Your Pet Day. Change up the location of your fish’s bowl, take your guinea pig on a tour of the house, or take your chameleon on a field trip to the porch to feel the breeze on his face.
  2. Spoil them
    Let’s face it: spoiling our pets is a lot of fun. So do it! Birthdays might only come once a year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have more special days with your pets. Celebrate National Love Your Pet Day by bringing home a new treat or toy, whipping up a beloved meal, or simply spend some extra quality time with your pet (we suggest pet-themed movies as an especially nice activity).
  3. Adopt a pet
    The ultimate way to celebrate Love Your Pet Day is to get a pet of your own to love! If it’s within your means, consider adopting a pet in need of a home. Explore local organizations that rescue and re-home animals in your area. It’ll change your life in ways you never expected.

Why We Love National Love Your Pet Day

  1. They're great listeners
    It’s not often that we can find a companion willing to sit through all of our complaints, but our pets never get sick of hearing our grievances. They are also delighted to listen to our favorite anecdotes (like say, that time we adopted our cat) and will never roll their eyes when we repeat a favorite story.
  2. They make you feel good
    That warm feeling you get after rolling around with your dog or that sense of peace you feel when you have a cat in your lap? It’s not just a feeling, it’s science. Spending time with animals is a great way to get a boost in feel-good hormones and has even been shown to improve blood pressure.
  3. They're adorable
    Just like children, everyone thinks that they’ve got the most adorable pet. It’s easy to see why, though — they’re all pretty darn cute! Lizards, hermit crabs, gerbils, cats, dogs, birds — we all need someone to love, and when that someone is a living thing that needs our care, looks don’t matter, just that they love us back.

Original article by: nationaltoday.com