Forget Valentines: Here Is When You Celebrate ‘Love Your Pet Day’

Whether your pet is a dog, hamster, bearded dragon, or stick insect, they all deserve love and affection. So, if you are feeling disillusioned with the romance (or lack of it) on Valentine’s Day, just forget it! Celebrate ‘Love Your Pet Day’ on February 20th instead and rejoice in the pure love that animals offer us.

Why Celebrate ‘Love Your Pet Day’?

Because pets play a very special role in our lives and deserve to be celebrated! Many of them increase our opportunities to get outside and socialize. There is some evidence that they decrease blood pressure and cholesterol. Their effect on mental health is even more important. Having a pet alleviates stress and loneliness and even helps children with their social skills. Pets offer unconditional support and never judge or criticize. That’s plenty to celebrate!

What Are Pets?

Pets are very distinctive from domestic animals. We keep pets for pleasure and domestic animals primarily for food. Dogs were the first ‘pets’ kept just for companionship and this happened over 10,000 years ago. Your pet can be any animal that keeps you company.

Pet ownership in the US has jumped in the last three decades. Now, 66 percent of US households own a pet – that’s 86.9 million homes. More importantly, that adds up to over 78 million dogs, 85 million cats, 14 million birds, and 9 million reptiles, not to mention the 12 million small mammals!

How to Celebrate ‘Love Your Pet Day’

There are so many cool ways for you to celebrate this very special day. It’s up to you to choose the one that is most appropriate for your type of pet.

• Take a picture of you and your pet together (or just of your pet if you would prefer) and share it on social media using #NationalLoveYourPetDay.
• Draw or paint a picture of your pet.
• Write a story, song, or poem that expresses what your pet means to you.
• Research some fun facts about your type of pet; you never know what you may learn!
• Give your pet a special food treat.
• Buy your pet a new cage/bed/toy.
• Spend some quality time with your pet, even if it is just watching them!
• Play some music that your pet will enjoy. Did you know that dogs love reggae and cats love watching fast-moving animals on TV?

Can People Without Pets Join In?

Of course! You could give a donation to or visit your local pet rescue center. They may need some volunteers to help them out. You could also visit a friend who has pets and hang out with them for a few hours. Have you been putting off setting up a pet-sitting side hustle – this would be a fantastic day to launch it! If you don’t want to leave your home, curl up on the sofa and watch a classic pet movie. Who doesn’t love 101 Dalmatians or Marley and Me? Or, just follow #NationalLoveYourPetDay online and share the good vibes.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © RossHelen/iStock via Getty Images