Pets Make You Smile

Home & Family, Pets
on January 19, 2003

Nearly all97 percentpet owners say their dog, cat, bird, or other companion animal makes them smile at least once a day. Thats the consensus from the recent 12th Annual Survey by the American Animal Hospital Association, which queried 1,242 owners who took their pets to affiliated veterinarians.

Of those who responded:

  • 86 percent include their pets in holiday celebrations such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween.
  • 85 percent believe their pets show concern when they are sick.
  • 76 percent believe their pets ease their stress level.
  • 73 percent have signed greeting cards from the dog.
  • 66 percent travel with their pets.
  • 58 percent include their pets in family or holiday portraits.
  • Almost half have more pictures of their pets than of their spouse or significant other.
  • 48 percent have taken up to two days off work to be with their sick pets.
  • 46 percent plan all or most of their free time around their pets.
  • 43 percent have taken their dogs to work.
  • 31 percent say providing exercise for their pets has improved their physical fitness.
Found in: Home & Family, Pets