If you're a
pet parent, your love for your animal is likely unwavering. Sure, your mom, dad, and sibs are important, but do they greet you at the door every time you get home from work with slobbery kisses and an adorable happy dance? No. (Well, hopefully not, anyway.) And if you think you've hit the peak level of obsession with your companion, just wait.
When the online retailer Zulily teamed with Wakefield Research to survey 500 millennial pet owners in the United States in advance of National Love Your Pet Day (today!), they found the roots of pet owners' love stretches even deeper. Nearly half of the participants admitted their pet's approval of a potential new romantic partner is more important than that of their family's. (Read: Flowers and dog treats might just become the new norm in first-date gifting.) Also, 42 percent of respondents already in relationships noted they would rather snuggle up with their pet than their significant other if they had to choose.
Nearly half of people admitted their pet's approval of a potential new romantic partner is more important than that of their family's. (Read: Flowers and dog treats might become the new norm in first-date gifting.)
Obviously there's a whole lot of love between pets and their owners—so much so that the majority (71 percent, to be exact) reported being willing to take a pay cut if that meant they'd be able to bring their pet to work with them every day. One in five people even said they'd give up 20 percent or more of their salary for the pooch perk. The separation anxiety doesn't stop there, though: According to the report, 84 percent of people confessed they worry about their pets even when running quick errands. Thank goodness for don't-leave-your-home conveniences, like grocery delivery, right?
Celebrate the year of the dog with this Chinese-zodiac-inspired hoodie. Or, find out why you should be brushing your pup's teeth every day.
