For the Love of Pets
National Love Your Pet Day was February 20, but at Trade Eights Cocktails we celebrate dogs and other pets all year round. Because we deeply love our pets as family and believe they make the world a happier place, we donate 1% of our sales to organizations, like Seattle Humane Society, that are dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of animals.
Did you know that close to 85 million families have a pet? (National Pet Owners Survey) What’s more, there are more pets – dogs, cats, horses, fish, reptiles and small animals – than there are people in the U.S.! So, why are pets more popular than people?
Pets can always make us smile.
Pets just make us happier. The complexities that make us human can also drive ourselves and others crazy. Pets are wonderfully free of all that human nonsense. They don’t obsess about the future or fret about the past. They’re not running any rat race or trying to keep up with Spot and Whiskers next door. They are quite simply happy being with us in the present. And that’s a great reminder to us that life is about togetherness.
Pets keep us company.
You’re never lonely and a house is never empty when our pets are with us. They offer that priceless companionship of being together without saying a single word. No one ever has an awkward moment of silence with a pet. But, if you want to vent about the latest injustices of life, pets make wonderful non-judgmental listeners.
Pets make us move.
Whether we sing with the bird or dance with the cat, we’re moving. That’s great in our modern world where studies have shown sitting too much is actually harmful. Dogs, in particular, know how to get our lazy selves off the couch - rain or shine. In fact, walking our dogs can lead to an overall higher level of physical activity - no membership fee or fancy home exercise equipment required. We can make a thousand excuses to skip the gym, but if we tried that with our dogs, we’d get a nice puddle to clean (which is not the type of exercise, we had in mind!).
Pets make us more social
It’s always fun to swap silly stories about our companions with other pet parents. But pets can be more than just a great conversation topic for human bonding. Dogs are especially good ice breakers with strangers. Today, people seem to be so guarded and self-absorbed that a warm smile and hello from a passing stranger is something quite rare. But luckily, our dogs are some times better at socializing than we are. They have no problem stopping to say “hello” to a furry stranger or even to an unsuspecting human. And when we find our dogs have pulled us into these little encounters, it’s a great opportunity to connect with a fellow person.
Pets reduce our stress.
Pets with their funny antics and unconditional love are a potent force against stress. In fact, gazing into your dog’s eyes, giving your cat a good belly rub or snuggling with your rabbit, naturally gives you the warm and fuzzies. That’s because pet interaction causes your brain to release oxytocin and serotonin, the same “feel good chemicals” that are triggered during social bonding with humans. The good feelings are mutual as studies have shown that bonding lowers stress levels for both humans and our pets.
When we get home after a long day, our pets are always there, faithfully waiting for us. They help us to laugh more, and stress less. Move more, and sit less. We thank them for putting up with us and all our crazy human ways.