50 “Shameless” Pets That Stole Their Owners’ Partners And Didn’t Even Feel Sorry About It

"Anyone who has ever owned a pet will recognize their ability to understand their owner’s moods. Who hasn’t sat down in misery and found their dog has hopped up next to them nudging their arm, wanting to be there for them, or their cat has jumped up on the seat next to them in a comforting way? This doesn’t happen by accident," PDSA vet James told Bored Panda.

According to the vet, research has found that many animals experience consciousness and emotions comparable to human beings. "They pick up on moods, emotions, and pheromones produced by people and other animals. By responding to these and acting accordingly, they are reacting with empathy, but this will definitely apply to some pets more than others."

Vet James pointed out that mammals feel a wide range of emotions, from love, happiness, and excitement to fear, distress, and others. "It’s incredibly important that we respect and nurture our pets so that they can enjoy a happy life with us. Our pets have individual needs; some pets may be very sociable while others less so. As a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to provide for your pet’s five welfare needs, including their need for love and attention, and you can’t do that unless you learn about the species you’re planning to share your life with."

The PDSA vet continued, stressing that socializing with our pets is a must: "A sociable animal won’t thrive in life if their need for companionship isn’t met. How many of us humans have struggled with lockdown? We’re sociable creatures and the lack of social interaction has meant that lots of us are finding things hard, but can you imagine if we had to live like this permanently? We wouldn’t want to inflict that on our sociable pets either."

However, some pets find that sharing their homes with other animals (whether of their own species or nto) to be stressful. This can impact their mental and even physical health. "It’s really important to research your pets so that you know you’re providing the right kind of environment for them so you can share a happy life together," the vet said.

The PDSA has lots of wonderful advice for all of you Pandas who have pets at home. You can find some information about how to socialize your puppies during the lockdown here, how to socialize your kittens right here, and how to stop your dogs from getting separation anxiety right over here.

It won’t surprise any pet owner to learn that animals have a highly-developed sense of empathy toward their owners, as well as their own kind. (I mean, who doesn’t like getting and giving hugs?) However, this doesn’t mean that everyone’s always lovey-dovey and super-cuddlesome. Sometimes, there’s some calculation on our pets’ part involved, too!