National Pet Week is just around the corner and with it also comes the 35th anniversary. This extraordinary holiday is dedicated to celebrating America’s more than 200 million pets that enrich our lives each and every day and encourage responsible pet care every day of the year. This year’s theme is “Pets at Play Brighten Your Day” and here are a few ways that we encourage you to keep those creatures in the best shape, for everyone’s happiness.
Make Some New Friends
There is no doubt that your pet cares for you, but sometimes your furry friend also wants to interact with something of the same species. There are easy options, such as taking them to a park or a friend’s house with a similar pet to give them some quality time with something of its own breed. Or you could go for more of a long-term solution by simply adopting another companion for your pet, as we all know, quality time with a new playful comrade is sometimes just what the doctor ordered.
Clean Up After Them
This can obviously apply to multiple aspects of your pet. First things first, keep their living space in order. Your pet would definitely enjoy seeing their cage or bed get a nice polish or vacuum. Secondly, keep your pet’s coat clean. It is coming up on the hot summer months, so a bath and a trim, especially for those extra furry animals, is the perfect way to keep your pet feeling fresh.
Schedule a Veterinary Checkup
Sure, your pet might not be happy to make a trip to the vet for its weeklong celebration, but that doesn’t make these excursions any less necessary. To keep your little friend happy and playful, it is recommended that your pets get a veterinary checkup 1-2 times per year. It may not be the most glamorous option to show your pet how much you appreciate them, but keeping them healthy and medically up-to-date will keep your companionship strong for years to come.
Try Out Some New Treats
To show gratitude, we often provide cake or some other kind of food, and it should be no different for your pets. No, this is definitely not a recommendation to feed your pet some red velvet cake, but animals, much like humans, enjoy eating. Going out of your way to find some new dinner or snacks for your pet could bring some much needed joy into its life and, staying with the 2016 National Pet Week theme, keeping your pet happy may also help bring delight to your own day.
Give Them Some Attention
This may seem obvious and many pet owners do not need help in this regard, but the easiest way to show some love for your pet is playing fetch in the park with your dog or scratching your cat in that perfect spot right behind its ears. There’s countless ways to prove to your animals that you care for them, just be sure to give them the EXTRA attention they are looking for.
Click here for more information on National Pet Week.