Time
Time is a funny thing. It seems elusive and intangible yet very concrete and limited. We sometimes wonder where the day went – how we spent it and how time got away from us – yet we’re very aware of the passing of time. The days, weeks, months, and years seem to fly by on the calendar while we’re busy making a living and making a life.
The most precious gift we can give, then, is the gift of time. It’s more precious than money and provides rewards that are immeasurably richer. As we go through our lives, we realize that the time we spend doing things we enjoy with those we love is the greatest gift of all.
Choose Well
Because time is illusory and existent simultaneously, it’s important to choose where to spend your time wisely and well. It’s easy to assume that there will be many tomorrows during which we can share the simplest pleasures of life. With our pets, especially, each day counts. Their lives are much shorter than ours and, realistically, you are your pet’s whole world. Whether you serve them as master or support staff, our pet’s lifetimes are much shorter than ours, making each minute count even more greatly.
A Dog’s Life
A loved dog’s life is good if you can get it, but only lasts until their teen years if they’re a small dog. Big dogs have an even shorter lifespan; maybe as few as seven or eight years. An indoor cat may live an average of fifteen years or slightly longer, but their lives are still significantly shorter than our own. Considering that dogs wait longingly for you to come home each day and cats may want you home but shower you with disdain, the length of their lives makes time spent with them even more valuable.
An Unbreakable Bond
Pet owners share such an important bond with their pets. The Human Animal Bond Research Institute, or HABRI, found that 95 percent of pet owners consider their pet family. Even more of the 16,000 dog and cat owners surveyed worldwide – 98 percent – believe that their family pet has improved their health and well-being. That’s a pretty astounding number. Pet parents believe that sharing their life with a pet:
- Improves their physical health
- Improves their mental health
- Decreases loneliness
- Reduces feelings and symptoms of stress
- Increases happiness and satisfaction with their lives
Pet owners are overwhelmingly committed to their pets. A very high percentage of survey respondents indicated that:
- They’d never give up their pet (92%)
- They’d provide expensive medical care for their pet (86%)
- They’d be willing to make lifestyle changes to accommodate their pet’s needs (76%)
The bond between pets and their people is unbreakable, making it even more important to spend as much time together as possible during your pet’s all-too-short lifetime.
South Hyland Pet Hospital
South Hyland Pet Hospital in Minneapolis, MN is here to help your pet live the healthiest, happiest, longest life they can. We are dedicated to ensuring you and your pet have as much time together as you can. Feel free to contact us at any time so we can help you enjoy that bond for as long as possible.
Image credit: Unsplash
