We never need an excuse to enjoy cute cat and dog pics, but we’re pleased that Love Your Pet Day encourages it!  

Now more than ever, our furry little friends are playing a vital role in keeping us sane, combatting loneliness and making our daily walks more enjoyable. Our clients and team reflect on the importance of pets for our wellbeing... 

Kerri 
Pets can reduce stress, anxiety, depression and ease loneliness. Pets encourage exercise and playfulness. Caring for an animal makes you grow more secure and active. Pets also provide valuable companionship for older adults. 

From my personal point of view, pets are not just for Christmas there for life!! 

My pets have majorly eased my feeling of being lonely and have helped ease my anxiety I just love the fact of looking after them and having someone who relies and trusts me, and to be honest I treat them like children. My pets give me a reason to wake up in the morning and be happy. They also give me a routine which I love. 

My pets have filled an emptiness within myself which I have felt from a young age. 

Richard 
Baby is my cat, my world, my family.  He comes before me and he is the King of the flat.  

I talk to him and he knows everything about me.  He often sit there looking at me and I imagine he is saying: "How did you manage to get such a nice place?!" 

When I first saw him it was when he turned up on my window sill.  I always wanted a black and white cat and there he was and we have been together ever since. It took me seven weeks just to get him into my room to eat some biscuits I had bought for him.  And ten weeks to be able to gently stroke him. I respect his rights and he respects mine. I like the way that he runs away when he sees other people, because people can be harsh and they could hurt him. 

Julie 
My bird and I. My bird is called Blue and I love him! He keeps me company as I am mostly on my own, he tweets/talk to me and I talk to him all the time. He flies around the room and I feel that he trust me because he lands on me.  

Laura 
I got my rescue dog Bambi in June 2019. She was one year old and she was a very traumatised pup, she hadn't been socialised with humans very well and so she barks when she meets people "Stay Back, I'm scary". She doesn't realise she only weighs 5kg. When I got her she would hardly eat and food made her anxious and she didn't know how to play. 

Since the pandemic I have been bringing Bambi to work. Every client who has met her have been patient and compassionate towards her, understanding her fear. Bambi now loves meeting with her new friends for walks. She gets so excited when she sees them and wags her tail and runs up to greet them. She jumps up at Lawrence and gives him a big kiss or snuggles with Pauline on a park bench. It has been a great therapy for her too, Pauline and Lawrence both shower her with treats and she will happily gobble them down! She is continually getting better and gaining confidence. 

Isolation is hard for everyone, and for those of us who have experienced mental health challenges, it can be compounding. The things that I used to rely on to keep afloat like having meet ups with friends or staying with family are not possible. The loss of physical closeness that is important to all of us, a hug, a reassuring hand on the back or squeeze of a shoulder, these are not possible with social distancing. Bambi has for some of us been the touch and companionship we have needed at points. In all the ways that the love of her FLIC friends have benefitted Bambi in overcoming her past neglect, Bambi has benefitted us too! **Use hand sanitiser after touching doggos   ** 😂😂😂