It might have made a good excuse to say I couldn’t come into work today. I had to spend time with the pets. I mean, it is National Pet Day. The dog seemed sad that I was leaving this morning. The cats just seemed to think I was getting in their way, seeing as how I kept picking up things they thought would be better on the floor. The fish… I don’t think the fish really cared if I was there or not. But if I could keep that one cat from dragging the heater out of his tank, he’s probably like that.
But today is Pet Day. It’s a day to honour all pets, but especially those that might not get the attention they deserve. And it’s also a day to think about animals who don’t yet have homes. There are health benefits to having a pet in your life.
The day not only encourages people to celebrate pets they may already have, but for those that don’t have a pet to maybe think about adopting one. They are fun to have around. Most times.
But on top of reducing stress just by being around, there are other advantages to having pets. For instance, my dog makes sure I get exercise. Maybe not on purpose. She is probably capable of going for a walk by herself, but seems to like to take me along with her. So she makes sure I get off my butt and out the door on a regular basis.
Although we have a variety of pets around, I have to say I tend to be a dog person. The cats may argue that, since they also have staked a claim and demand attention now and then. And if I ever gave up having a bagel for breakfast and sharing my cream cheese with them I’m probably have to move. But the dog goes places with me. She knows she’s number one. The fish doesn’t seem to care.
But there are many different types of pets. Whether yours has fur or scales or some other type of outside coating, they are all fun to have around. And today is the day to celebrate them.