Valentine's Day gifts for pets on the rise

MEGHAN Lodge loves her dog more than her husband and she's not alone. One in three Aussies will buy their pet a gift this Valentine's Day.  

Dog valentine

Meghan Lodge really loves her pet and she's not alone.

“My husband has long suspected it. Quite frankly, I've been in denial for the past two years. It's time for the truth to come out: I love my dog more than I love my husband. 

Don't get me wrong; I'm not "in love" with my dog - that's just darn creepy. I simply love my dog. A lot. I love my husband, too, but he certainly couldn't get away with destroying my favorite designer heels or pooping on my beige carpet.

No matter how long I have been gone, Axle (my dog) is happy to see me. I can be snappy with him, and he'll still wag his tail and nuzzle my face as though nothing has happened. 

He's happy to be subjected to my photo-taking addiction and will even tolerate being dressed up on occasion. He snuggles with me when I'm cold. He listens intently to all of my rants, regardless of how silly they may be. He even thinks I'm a great singer!

Axle has been with me for two years, one-third as long as my husband and I have been together. During these two years, he has taught me so much about life and love. When he paws at the door just to go out and sun on the deck, he reminds me that it's important to just take some time to relax.

When he pounces after a bouncing tennis ball like a little puppy, he reminds me that we're all still capable of losing ourselves in childlike play. When he snuggles up to the cats and our other dog on the couch, he reminds me that friends are a wonderful and rewarding thing to have. When he gets excited when I get home, or he discovers a long-lost toy in between the couch cushions, he reminds me that it's the simple things in life that are best.

I take care of Axle. I make sure he has food and fresh water. I check his eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and paws daily for any potential problems and subject him to routine vet visits. I make sure we have all of his favorite chews in the house, and he sleeps on an over-size orthopedic pet bed.

So all things considered, it's not hard to believe why I love this tail-wagging, tongue-lolling, happy smiling boy more than my husband ... or anyone else, for that matter!”

Aussies love their pets this Valentine’s Day

According to an IBIS survey, Australia has the highest pet rate per capita, with one in every two Australians owning an animal - 36 per cent Australian households own a dog and 23 per cent own a cat. 

“Over the last ten years there has been a major shift in how people treat their pets,” says Cesare Corgatelli, founder of pet toy and accessory site PawBag.com.au. 

“There is an increasing humanisation of pets. They have moved from the backyard to the kitchen and from the kitchen to the couch, until before you know it they are living right with you and most likely sleeping in your bed instead of your partner.”

Since pets are now considered part of the family they often partake in traditionally human activities. For example, many owners give their pets a gift on special occasions, while greeting cards to and from pets are commonly found in retail stores. 

A survey by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) found that more than one in three pet owners, or 3.4 million Australians, are planning on giving their pet a gift on February 14.

The biggest spenders will be dog owners, who are expected to shell out $23.3m, or an average of $6.82 per dog, while cat owners are expected to spend $7.9m, or an average of $4.11 per cat.

Total spending on pets this Valentine's Day is expected to be $46.9m.

A WSPA spokesman Rafi Cooper said it was "wonderful" to see how many Australians cared for their pets, but many animals around the world were not as fortunate.

He said animal lovers could buy a gift to help needy animals through WSPA's online store, Really Wild Gifts.

A range of gifts can be bought, including a $10 donation to help overworked donkeys in Palestine, a "disaster pack" for $20 to help treat injured animals, and a $99 donation to feed a bear in a sanctuary for two months.

Total spend nationwide this Valentine’s Day:

•Dogs - $23.3m

•Fish - $8.8m

•Cats – $7.9m

•Birds - $4.8m

•Other - $2.0m

What do you love?

Follow our simple five-step guide to join news.com.au and our fellow Aussies in sharing the loves of their lives through #whatIlove:

1. Take a photo with your iPhone or smartphone and load it onto Instagram/Flickr/whatever photo sharing app you use;

2. Carefully touch up your photo with an appropriate hipster filter;

3. Write a caption with a brief description of what you love about said person/item, add the @newscomauHQ username and the #whatIlove hashtag. This is the most important step. But nearly as important is to;

4. Duplicate your post on Twitter and Facebook;

5. Share it with your friends!

We'll collate our favourite pics and showcase them on news.com.au in a #whatIlove gallery on Valentine's Day.

We just have three simple rules:

- Pick something that's representative of what you cherish in life. We want to see what best symbolises the love/s of your life and how it's different to everyone else's.

- Check that you have the right permissions and don't invade anyone's privacy. If someone doesn't want their face in your shot, respect that wish; and

- All photos must be taken by the person submitting the picture.

That's it! We look forward to hearing all about what you love, soon. 

Wiggly