Today is national Love Your Pet Day and since we at Mueller Memorial always try to focus on gratitude, one thing that’s always easy to be thankful for is our pets.

As a funeral director, I know how much people love their pets and am not surprised by how often they speak about the loss of a pet with the same gravity as the loss of a human family member. Our pets are family. Our dogs, cats, rodents, reptiles, or whoever it is that we share your home with, bring light to our lives with unconditional love. They make our bad days better and our good days brighter, all by just being themselves.

Our team here at Mueller Memorial is just about the most loving group of pet owners I’ve ever seen. They know the warmth and joy that pets provide, and have experienced firsthand the ways they shape our lives. As children, pets teach us about the responsibility of caring for others; as adults, they give us unconditional joy and love. What’s better than coming home after a long day of work to a happy face and wagging tail?

They become ingrained in our every-day activities, they feature in our family photos, and some of them even get their own profiles on social media. Our pets often become our people, the ones we know can cheer us up after a rough day, and won’t judge us when we do something a little silly. And when they’re the ones pushing our buttons, it’s impossible to stay mad at them for long.

Those who haven’t had the opportunity to experience the joy of an animal family member often find it difficult to understand the bond that humans and pets can sometimes share. But the truth is, it can be difficult to explain, because it’s something that comes so easily and naturally. And as with any meaningful bond, when it’s broken, it can feel like a piece of you has gone missing.

As hard as these moments may be, they just continue to prove that our pets can teach us things about life whether they’re with us or not. We learn and grow from our experiences with them — they give us stories to tell, emotions to feel, and memories to last. They have been a part of our lives for a long time, and I predict that they always will be. We’re all so thankful for the wonderful animals in our lives, because in the end, they help us to be better humans.

Happy Love Your Pet Day,
Scott Mueller

P.S. If you’re looking to adopt a new family member, consider these wonderful local organizations:

Animal Humane Society

Feline Rescue

Secondhand Hounds

Underdog Rescue

Wags & Whiskers Animal Rescue