What if our pets had thumbs??

Believe it or not, March 3rd is “What if Pets Had Thumbs Day” according to Pet Sitters International. Which led me down this rabbit hole….picture this: your cat, Mr. Whiskers, or your dog, Fido, sporting a pair of opposable thumbs. What could possibly go wrong?

We pet parents often project human traits onto our pets, it is almost impossible not to! It’s a reflection of who we humans are as pack animals. We want to fit in, find like-minded community members, and feel like we understand each other. There is also that funny concept that people and their pets start to look like each other - similar to how married folks might start dressing alike.

In some cases, our personifications may not be correct - perhaps Fido really does only love organic poultry…but, really, how can she tell if she can’t read the label?

In other cases, our projections can be spot on. If Fluffy is sick, he probably feels like you do when you are sick, although it may be more difficult to tell with Fluffy. Our feelings of care, worry, and anxiety for Fluffy when he’s sick are typically the same feelings we have for our non-furry family and friends when they are sick - we’d do anything to make them feel better! Now imagine what it might feel like if you knew what to do and how to help, you just could not afford to pay for that care.

 That’s a tough place to be in, and one that happens more than we like to think about. That’s why the work we do is so important - we exist to ensure that pets and their families have access to vital veterinary care, regardless of their financial means. We keep pet families together!