7 Virtues We Learn from Our Pets

Cats, dogs, fish, horses, and birds are only a few types of pets that find their way into our households and hearts. Millions of us care for one or more companion animal – a survey by AmericanPetProducts.org estimates that 79.7 million households own a pet! Still more people spend countless hours of volunteer time rescuing and rehabilitating animals that have been abandoned, abused, or neglected. But beyond the love we have for them and the joy we get from including a pet in our home, we learn lessons as diverse as the pets themselves. Furry, feathered, or finned, a pet can teach us virtues that make us more caring in all aspects of our lives, and they can also help us teach those virtues to the next generation. Far from frivolous, our interactions with the creatures and critters of God’s earth are character building and societally important. Here are seven virtues we can learn from our pets.