There is a truth universally acknowledged by all lovers of animals: pets are family! There is a certain kind of light that comes from pets- the whole body wag of a happy dog, the little head butts from a purring cat, even the squawks from an excited bird (bird people are weird).

Pets can be seen as an extension of the owner. Somebody that is more reserved and introverted could be paired with a cat equally as independent. Pets provide a comfort to people that no other thing can replace.

That being said, pets can also drive a person nuts! Growing up, I had a Beagle dog named Rosie who was a the worst digger! She would dig underneath our fences and even chew through chicken wire to get out into the big old world. Needless to say, she drove all of my family and me a little crazy, but we loved her regardless.

Pets are a special and often times key part of most pet owners’ lives. Perhaps one of the worst things about having pets is eventually having to say goodbye to them forever.

Recently, my cat, Dusti, that I had had pretty much my whole life passed away. I feel pretty lucky that I haven’t had a lot of experience with deaths of loved ones, but I was not prepared for her death. It honestly was really hard to go through.

The important thing to remember in these times are the happy memories that one that with their pet. Whenever I start feeling down about Dusti, I just remember how she’d curl up with me at night time and get jealous of the book I had in my hands because I wasn’t petting her.

These memories are such a comfort for me and remind me that her memory still lives on in a happy way.

So, pets are a super special parts of our lives. Certainly people that haven’t had pets in their lives don’t get this, so here’s to all the pet owners!