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.