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I recently read some very interesting statistics regarding how we view our pets. A study was conducted in 1957 by the American Veterinary Association and 43% of the people surveyed viewed their pets as part of the family. When that study was repeated in 2004 the figure had jumped to 94%! Can you even imagine what it is now97%, or maybe even 100%! As the years have gone by our pets have become more than just pets to us and in many ways they have become true members of our families. This post today will share with you my opinions as to why that is and I will also be telling real-life stories directly related to the issue. I hope you enjoy!

Let me start off by talking about why I think we see our pets as members of our families. I think first and foremost there are millions of pets around the world and the number of household pets has been rising. I think more people are being exposed to pets and the wonderful happiness and comfort they can bring to us. As human beings, we tend to spoil people and animals alike. Just think about when you were a kid, I bet you had plenty of experience with spoiling. There is a saying I have seen on infant's outfits that reads "If Mom says no, ask Grandma!"..so we are taught at an early age spoiling = love.

Pets cannot speak to us, yet we speak to them all the time. We tell them they are good, tell them we love them, and some of us even have personal conversations with them. The reason for this is simple: since pets cannot speak to us, we have no fear of being judged or ridiculed. We have a way to get out our anger, our frustration, our sadness without being rejected. It's like having your own personal therapist - pets are open-minded, and I don't know how they do it, but they always know when you are sad.

Let me pause here for a little while and just tell you a few real-life stories about my past pets. I can remember having conversations with my last dog and if for any reason I had a rough day, she was always there to cheer me up - she always listened. She was a great dog, and when she had to be put to sleep, it was a really big deal in my family. It was a hard decision, but we didn't want her to suffer. When an animal has been a part of your life for over 15 years, it is incredibly hard to say goodbye.

Some people may wonder "How can you feel that way? It's just a dog (or cat)!", but those people have no true understanding of your relationship with your pet. It is incredibly hard to describe (I know I am having trouble putting it into words right now), but every person who has had a pet knows what I am talking about. Your cat will never yell at you, they will always agree with what you are saying, and listen to your side of the story.

I know my opinion is a popular one among pet owners, but I am really wondering how all of you feel about it. Do you consider your pet part of your family? What are some things you do for (or with) your pet to make them a part of the family?

Again, let me stop here and talk about my last dog for a second. She was a member of our family 100%, she had her own chair in our living room. We had an old recliner she loved to lay around in and no one ever sat in it, it was "her chair". When she got older, she had problems with her joints but we picked her up so she could enjoy being in her chair.

I am very interested to hear what you have to say about this subject, I think most of you do consider your pet a part of the family, and if you have a reason, I would love to hear it.

Learn more about this author, Danielle Sheffler.
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