Pets can provide emotional and physical support to their owners. They also teach us about ourselves, revealing our strengths and weaknesses as we interact with them. Often, the relationship between people and their pets is one of mutual love and respect. Pets, like people, have feelings and emotions that can be influenced by our environment and social expectations.
A pet is any domestic animal kept primarily for pleasure, as opposed to livestock, laboratory animals and working animals, which are usually kept for economic reasons. Most of the time, when people talk about their pets, they are referring to dogs, cats and birds. However, some people keep fish, reptiles and other animals as pets. While some people consider these animals pets, others do not. It is important for writers to pay close attention to tone and language when writing about pets. This includes avoiding using terms such as fur babies or children. Most publications will have editorial style guides that detail preferred usage.
Most pet owners feel that their pet is a part of the family, regardless of the species. Seventy-one percent of dog owners consider their pet a family member, as do 64 percent of cat owners and 48 percent of bird owners. Even scaly animals such as snakes, spiders and scorpions can form significant attachments, despite their short lifespans.
In addition, many pets play a role in their owner’s lives as a source of social support. They help alleviate loneliness and depression, as well as stress and anxiety. They also teach their owners to be more patient, especially when interacting with other people. They also give their owners a sense of purpose and meaning in life.
For people with disabilities, pets can be a great source of comfort and companionship. For example, autistic kids who have trouble relating to other people can find solace in their pets. These children can be calmed by their pets’ presence and are less likely to experience separation anxiety when mom and dad are gone. Pets can help kids with autism build confidence and self-esteem by giving them unconditional love.
As a result of their close bonds with humans, some pets have developed the ability to recognize when they are in danger. They have been known to alert their owners to impending attacks, even when this may put them in mortal danger themselves. For this reason, some people choose to train their dogs to be service animals. They can aid the blind, lead police and military personnel, or search for lost people. These animals have been invaluable to their owners and deserve to be honored in stories about them.
As mentioned above, personal experience stories make up as little as 10% of a pet magazine’s content, but they compose as much as 80% of unsolicited submissions. For a story to be successful, it must be truly exceptional and compel readers to want to read more. This might include a war dog who was trained to fly in helicopters, or the story of an owner’s struggle with a canine “escape artist” who could chew through chain link fences.