Those that have and love their pets don’t need a special day to celebrate them. They are well aware of the fun, love and companionship pets bring. But, since today is National Pet Day, an unofficial holiday, I thought I’d share a FREE printable poem and some quotes.
NATIONAL PET DAY
April 11 is National Pet Day. Many people love their pets and consider them part of their family. If you consider your pet a member of the family, you are not alone. Six out of ten pet owners feel the same way! 94% of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day.
The ASPCA estimates that there are 70-80 million dogs and 74-96 million cats owned in the U.S. and that two-thirds of Americans have pets. Fish, birds, gerbils, and turtles are not far behind.
Facts About Pets
- Goldfish have a reputation as short-lived creatures, but given proper care, they can live as long as 30 years in captivity. The oldest captive goldfish ever recorded was won at a fair in 1956 and died in 1999 at age 43.
- Nine percent of dog owners will have a birthday party for their pet.
- Dogs only sweat through the pads of their feet.
- Every dog has a unique nose print with no two alike.
- A dog’s sense of smell is 1000 times greater than a human!
- A group of cats is called a clowder.
- Cats sleep about 13 to 14 hours per day, on average.
- Cats have 32 muscles in each ear.
- Cats have 4 rows of whiskers.
- Cats have no collarbone, which is one reason they are so flexible.
- Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs have about ten.
- Parrots, according to the Humane Society of the United States, are the nation’s fourth most popular pet.
- Nearly 80 million U.S. households have a pet, and 42 percent of those households have more than one. There are 77.8 million pet dogs in the U.S. and 85.8 million pet cats.
- Forty-five percent of pet owners say they occasionally (or frequently) buy presents for their animals.
- According to the ASPCA, around 2.7 million shelter animals are adopted each year.
Most popular pets in America
- 45% Dogs
- 30% Cats
- 9% Fish
- 5% Birds
- 2% Hamster/Gerbil/Mouse
Interesting insights about people and their pets
- 22% of Americans are attracted to people who treat their pet like a family member
- 11% of Americans like to chill with their pets (e.g. watch TV, read books, etc.)
- 10% of Americans consider their pet to be their best friend
- 10% of Americans talk to their pet in a special voice
- 10% of Americans carry on conversations with their pet
How can a pet impact your life
- Decreases Stress: Providing care for a pet can help reduce stress and worry and increase the ability to cope, which contributes to keeping cholesterol and blood pressure down.
- Lowers blood Pressure: having a pet has the potential to lower blood pressure, especially in hypertensive or high-risk patients, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Walking a dog benefits both dog and the human walker.
- Having a pet in the home can actually lower a child’s likelihood of developing related allergies by as much as 33 percent. Children exposed early on to animals tend to develop stronger immune systems overall.
- Having a dog in the house means more bacteria enters the home and gets inside the occupants. People with dogs seem to get ill less frequently and less severely than people with no pets.
How to observe National Pet Day
- Take supplies to those pets in shelters.
- Help a friend with pets who is recovering from an illness.
- Adopt a pet from your local shelter
- Donate money, food, toys and/or blankets to an animal welfare organization
- Help someone who needs it buy pet food or other items for their pets
- Say, “I love you” to your pet 🙂
Quotes about pets
- A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.
- “Cats are connoisseurs of comfort.” ― James Herriot
- “Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day. It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them.” ― John Grogan, Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World’s Worst Dog
- “I care not for a man’s religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.” ― Abraham Lincoln
DOWNLOAD your FREE What is a Pet? poem; print and trim to fit into an 8×10-inch frame or 5×7-inch frame.
You will receive your printable via email within 24 hours. Be sure to check your spam and promotions folders if you do not see the email in your inbox. You will have a limited time to download your file so don’t delay!
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Hi didn’t know it was national pet day. They deserve a day of their own. Fun and interesting pet facts. Is that Raise in the picture under the homemade dog food recipe?