First of all, if you own a pet, congratulations! On the last Sunday in April, National Pet Parents Day recognizes the pet parents who go the extra mile to care for their fur babies.

There is a very special connection, a unique bond, between a pet and its owner. This unique relationship, which can often last for many years, is often a vital part of the ‘pet parents’ life. Their loved pets are considered to be a member of the family.
Some pet parents are new to the experience. Others are repeat performers. No matter how many pets or how often they engage in the relationship, it’s a special one every time.
The observance was created to honor all dedicated pet parents across the nation with a special day of their own.

We have come up with a few simple ways to observe National Pet Parents Day:

SPEND SOME TIME

If you haven’t enjoyed a lazy Sunday with your critter recently, why not now? Pamper your pets a bit, break out the treats and keep them brushed up on whatever tricks they know, let them be the center of attention for a little while.

If we’re talking about a pet that spends most of its time in an enclosure — such as a reptile, an insect, a bird or the aforementioned fish — take this as a sign to give that living space a bit of TLC. Buy your rabbit a salt lick at a feed store, or treat your Madagascar hissing cockroaches to a kind spraying of water in their tank, whatever applies.

This holiday can be observed easily by just spending some time with your pet baby. You can buy your pet a new toy or maybe a new sweater to keep them warm. You can also spend the day playing with your dog and/or taking them for a walk. And while you’re observing this holiday, don’t forget to use the hashtag #NationalPetParentsDay to let other pet parents know that they should be spending the day with their pets. 

You might be a pet parent, but how much do you really know about your dog. We’re willing to bet that while you probably know your pet pretty well, there are still a few things that you might not know about them. Below are a few things that we found out about cats and dogs and would like to share with all pet parents right now.

 Facts About Dogs

• There are over 350+ breeds of dogs all over the world.
• Dogs can make ten different vocal sounds.
• Your dog doesn’t have an appendix.
• Dogs can make over a hundred different facial expressions.
• Dogs can find the direction of a sound in as little as 6/100ths of a second.

Facts About Cats

• Cats do not have sweat glands.
• A pack of kittens is called a kindle.
• A pack of grown cats is called a clowder.
• The tongue of your cat has papillae—tiny hooks that help to hold prey in place.
• A Cat’s memory is better than a dog’s memory.
• The average cat’s speed is 12-miles per hour, but they can sprint up to 30 miles per hour.
• Cats can produce over a hundred different vocal sounds.

Facts About Exotic Pets

• A bird has to eat over half his or her own weight per day in food in order to survive.
• A bird’s heart beats approximately 400 times per minute during rest.
• Over 60 million pet birds are owned by Americans.
• A garter snake can give birth to over 80+ babies
• Most hamsters can only blink one eye at a time.