Johnson: Pet people protective of their critters

Short little hairs stuck to their clothing, smiling dog photos on the desk at work, holiday cards with pictures of them posed in matching outfits with their critters, a treat or new toy included in every shopping basket, or, a life set around walk and meal schedules – there are any number of clues someone is a pet person, even if they don’t come right out and say it.

In search of ponies

However they give it away, one thing is certain; for a pet person, the critters are so undeniably important in their lives you could almost say they live for their pets.

How it happens is really pretty simple.

Like surrogate children, pets are often raised from infancy by their human parents, the relationship bond forged during the early days of helplessness, cemented through training and surviving the difficult development stages and finally growing into a friendship as the pet matures and settles into home and family routines.

Other times pets may be adopted at an older age, but much the same, a bond is formed as the relationship is established.

Expressions and habits are learned, awkward communication grows into mutual understanding, and over time, a pet’s non-human status begins to have less meaning.

In essence, as a household member that is present for every moment – the ups and the downs, the quiet and the chaotic – pets become very much a part of the family.

And just as might be expected with human family members, pet people have a dedicated and protective perspective on their critters.

If you’ve ever wondered just how far someone would go to protect their animal companions, a recent survey has revealed that people are actually willing to sacrifice quite a bit for their pets.

According to 2,000 dog and cat owners, if their house were on fire, 89 percent said they would save their pets before a priceless family heirloom.

Similarly, 88 percent said they would sell a possession to pay for their pet to have surgery rather than let their pet die and 85 percent said they would starve for a day if it meant their pet could eat.

Designed to delve into just how much pets mean to their owners and just how deep their commitment is, Abodo, an online service that provides a free search service for people looking for apartment rentals, conducted the survey.

Going much deeper than rescuing a pet from a fire, selling possessions to pay for life-saving surgery and making sure a pet can eat, the survey asked some additional, – and in some cases, off-the-wall – “what if” questions intended to put pet owners’ love to the test. Overwhelmingly, it appears people really do love their pets:

• If faced with a choice between a pet and a significant other, 63 percent said they would choose their pet.

• 58 percent said they would pick a shack over their dream home if it meant they could keep their pet.

• 54 percent said they would be willing to lose a finger if it meant their pet could keep a leg.

• 43 percent would jump into boiling water to save their pet.

• 32 percent would kill another person to save their pet.

As if comfort and injury weren’t enough, nearly a quarter – 23 percent of respondents – said they would willingly sacrifice their own life to save the life of their pet.

Though hopefully such scenarios would never happen and some are obviously far-fetched, the study certainly places the pet-human relationship in an interesting light.

Even more, it underscores something pet people already know – they’ve never been “just” pets, they’re family.

Sharna Johnson is a writer who is always searching for ponies. You can reach her at:

[email protected]