Travel Vibes11

February 20th is National Love your Pet Day, so I thought we’d keep the love theme going for the month of February. Some people ask how can a pet love you, it’s not human, can it really feel emotion? These people are obviously NOT pet owners! To some a pet is merely an animal, but to most that have pets, that animal is a member of the family, a living, breathing soul that has as many emotions as any human, and more than some!
Science is supporting the benefits of pets and human health. In fact, today pets and human mental health has been a game changer for many. From animals helping Veterans and others with PTSD to seizure dogs to companion animals to seeing eye dogs. Animals seem to be doing a lot to help us humans cope. If you are a pet owner, chances are you already knew this! Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Other studies have found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost your mood. Horses and Dogs in particular are intuitive and can sense when their person is becoming stressed or anxious. With pets you always have someone to listen to you who won’t offer advice because sometimes you don’t want advice, nor are you looking for someone to ‘fix you’.’ A pet will never try to fix you. You can sit with your pet on the couch for hours and just rant and he won’t try to advise you or solve all your problems. There are times when you just want to talk, and you don’t need anyone to say anything back. A pet will simply sit there and love you, and sometimes that’s all we need!
My family just recently lost our dog Kadett very suddenly to stomach cancer. Opel Kadett, as named by my then 10 year old car loving son, was a pound puppy, used, second-chance dog. We got him from a local shelter. He had been picked up as a stray, and had been at the shelter for over a month with no one showing him any interest.

Now if you have ever been to a shelter you know the energy and excitement that transpires when humans walk into the kennel area is intense. Typically, every dog is front and center, barking, jumping, doing their best performance of ‘pick me, take me home’. The day we chose Kadett was no exception, in fact I remember being impressed at the height some of the dogs could get in their performance, but Kadett was different. He came up and did his best performance but as we walked by, he did not continue with his attention getting antics, instead, he stepped back and sat as if he too was watching the show, and THAT caught our attention and caught him his forever home. Kadett was a Rodesian Ridgeback mix and the best damn dog ever. He was loyal beyond belief. Rarely did we leash him because he generally would not leave our side, and if he did it was for a short excursion and then he was right back home. He was my son’s dog and he clearly adored his boy, but I now realize he was also ver much my buddy. The loss of him has affected me deeply. Now I have lost other dogs but none that have struck me on such an emotional level. Perhaps I am more sentimental in my aged years, perhaps it is because now the house is quiet and empty, or perhaps it is that this dog has been through monumental changes in my life with me. Divorce, first night without my son home, moving, selling our family farm, my son graduating and off to college, career changes. This dog saw me at my worst and my best! So perhaps that is why his death hit me so hard, he was my buddy, day in and day out, he loved my son and me unconditionally, more than he loved himself. He had personality, sense of duty, attitude and a cuteness that just didn’t quit! Everyone who met him loved him. His absence is felt deeply, but we ar so grateful to have had him in our lives.
So back to the question can pets really love humans? The answer, absofreakinglutely!