Are pets people, too?

Results of an AP/Petside poll were released and indicate that half of American pet owners consider their pets to be just as much a part of the family as more human members of the household. I know that I am definitely amongst that 50% — Rogue (a tortoiseshell cat) and Deacon (a pitbull mix) are certainly family to me. While technically smaller than him, being about a year and a half older makes Rogue the big sister. In addition to a canine aunt and uncle (my mom’s dogs), they have a full spectrum of human relatives as well: grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins. Before moving in with my fiance, I was also one of the 29% of dog owners who loved to have their pooch cuddled up in bed with them at night; now Deacon has his own bed, right next to my side of the bed. And of course they get birthday and Christmas presents! I also have a betta fish named Hedwig, and while he’s not quite as active a member of the household, I still tell him “good night” when I turn the light above his tank off at night.

Of course I already know just how crazy I am about my pets, so I thought I’d show the results to my co-workers here at PetKey and see what they had to say about the poll.

Donna, one of our leading behaviorists, told me of her two dogs, “I don’t take them on vacay with me, but Frog and I hike all the time. Oh, and I’ve changed my bedroom, went to a lower bedframe, so they can get into bed … they are both seniors.” She also admitted that she takes them into consideration before making plans to be away from home.

I am personally not a fan of arachnids, but I couldn’t help but think “aww…” when Jess, our public relations director told me about her son’s unconventional companion: “It’s not very cuddly, but my son Logan gives his pet Scorpion, Feneris, a rundown of the days events every evening when he mists him, and gives him meal worms instead of crickets on his birthday.”

And I think that Jen P, another of our behaviorists and a pet owner after my own heart, enjoyed the opportunity to dote on her dog: “Mickey, our nine year old American Pit Bull Terrier, is 100% part of our family. Even though I know I shouldn’t, I definitely treat him more like a person than the dog he is. Sometimes I can’t help but think that he believes himself to be a funny looking furry human! From day one our hearts were his and he knew it. It makes me laugh sometimes when I think of the things we sacrifice in order to make Mickey happy: space on the bed, the last little bit of a special human treat that he has been drooling over, a lazy afternoon forfeited to a long walk because he looks bored. Even our vacations are planned around him and where he is allowed to go and I can’t help but get just as excited for him when planning out getaways as I do for myself! I have always considered my pets as more than just pets. Mickey is not a dog, he’s Mickey; when I look at him I don’t see a dog, I just see Mickey and the same has always gone for all my pets.”

So there you have it; pet professionals seem equally inclined as other pet owners to embrace their four (or eight!)-legged companions as members of the family. Are there any special privileges that you extend to your pets? Have you ever referred to a pet as your “baby” only to have a non-pet owner roll his/her eyes? Do your pets display any traits or behaviors that make them feel like just as much a part of the family as human members of the household? I’d love to here your thoughts and stories about it! And please check in on Tuesday for a training article from Donna with some cautionary words about the fact that as much as we love them, a dog is a dog, a cat is a cat, and why it can be important not to forget that fact.