Do you love animals or are you a pet owner? Perhaps you have always crusaded on behalf of animals in the world. If so you will understand instinctively just how special the bond with an animal can be, and how pets can bring people closer together, whether in friendship or love. Having an animal around brings calm, peaceful and positive energy and opens your heart to feelings of empathy and compassion. If you’re an animal lover you probably gravitate towards other animal lovers, recognizing your similarities on a core level.
When looking for your ideal romantic mate, sharing interests and values is essential for long-lasting happiness. Something as deceptively simple as having a pet can actually tell you a lot about what kind of a person somebody is, and reveal insights into your potential together for mutual and enduring love.
Here are five reasons why you’ll never regret dating an animal lover.
They Express Empathy
People who love animals and are bonded with their pets are bound to be sensitive, loving souls who express empathy regularly. Animals can really spark our ability to give unconditional love as humans. Studies show that people are sometimes more likely to express empathy towards dogs than adult humans, even if both are facing the same physical injuries.
The bottom line is that people who love animals are more likely to be willing to open their hearts, and be vulnerable and intimate with a romantic partner. Caring for a pet cultivates a sense of companionship and strengthens our ability to offer unconditional loving patience to another being.
They Have Shared Interests
Two animal lovers together make a wonderful pair! You will both probably have very similar values, interests and hobbies with the opportunity to bond over your daily routines. If you both love dogs, you might find yourself enjoying the same parks and outdoor spots together. Two cat lovers may be more inclined to enjoy quiet activities such as gardening, yoga, reading or listening to music at home.
A larger point to consider is that your love for your pet sometimes requires you to make certain things a priority. There are decisions and choices in life that can be influenced by having a pet, and anyone you are in a relationship with may need to understand that. Dating a fellow animal lover means having someone around who understands why you do things and supports your decisions when it comes to your pet.
They Understand Commitment and Responsibility
Anyone who has a pet knows the meaning of long-term commitment. Just as in a romantic partnership, having a pet requires an investment of time, energy, love and willing commitment. It is a responsibility to care for another living creature, and anyone who does so understands on a deep level what it means to be there through thick and thin, good and bad.
Dating an animal lover means dating someone who already knows what it is to be devoted in a relationship, and is willing to go the distance despite obstacles and the many setbacks of life that can occur.
You Can See how they Cope with Stress
Illness, accidents and crises are all part of life. When someone has a pet they open themselves to a wonderfully unique form of love but also the inevitability of things that can go wrong. Whether it’s a lost pet, an ill pet or even grieving a pet who has died – how your partner deals with a crisis can be incredibly illuminating for you and your relationship. It gives you a chance to see how they react in the face of adversity and stress, which can translate to how they cope with other situations in life.
Crises can also highlight to you places where your relationship needs deeper communication or where more understanding is required, in order to be supportive of each other and move forward together.
They Make Loving Parents
Having a child is a huge decision and not exactly the same as having a pet, however taking care of a pet does offer you an insight into the responsibility, love and care that comes with looking after another living being. If you want to have kids in the future, dating an animal lover can give you a little glimpse into how they might be as a parent.
You can also use your shared love of pets to bring up discussions on what it might like to have kids one day and discover whether or not you share the same values and ethos on raising them.
