Take Time to Appreciate Pets!
June 1, 2022

Among many things June is known for, did you know June 5-11 is national Pet Appreciation Week? Seventy percent of U.S. households, or about 90.5 million families, own a pet, according to the 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA). This is up from 56 percent of U.S. households in 1988, the first year the survey was conducted, and 67 percent in 2019.  And, since the children at Fuddlebrook School are crazy about their class pet hamster, Herman Tweed, we thought we would pay tribute to him and all our other beloved pets this month.

 Here are some fun pet facts:

There are more than 350 different breeds of dogs worldwide.

Domesticated for more than 10,000 years, the dog was one of the first animals domesticated by humans.

Greyhounds are the world’s fastest dogs with the ability to reach up to 45 mph. Most domestic dogs are capable of reaching speeds up to about nineteen miles per hour when running at full speed.

Cats have better memories than dogs. Tests conducted by the University of Michigan concluded that while a dog’s memory lasts no more than 5 minutes, a cat’s can last as long as 16 hours—exceeding even that of monkeys and orangutans.

Dogs are as smart as a 2- year-old.

Ted Lasso had it wrong! A goldfish’s memory isn’t so bad. They can actually remember things up to three months.

A chicken with red ear lobes produces brown eggs, and a chicken with white ear lobes produces white eggs.

Dogs can smell your feelings through your perspiration.

Cats are asleep for 70% of their life.

Cats have five toes on each front paw, but only four toes on each back paw.

Cats have more than one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.

Having a pet can be good for your health. It can lower blood pressure, slow heart rate, regulate breathing, and relax muscles.

Dogs have a sense of time and can get accustomed to their schedules in terms of meal times and when they’ll be taken for a walk.

Dogs have a unique nose print like humans have a unique fingerprint.

Australians have one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world.

Hamsters are one of the most popular pets in the UK! However, in Hawaii they are illegal to own. It’s because if hamsters escape and breed, they could end up destroying plants and other animals.

Many hamsters only blink one eye at a time.

Millennials own more pets than Generation X or Baby Boomers.

Studies have shown that spending time with dogs can cause the brain to produce oxytocin, a hormone that reduces stress and enhances well-being!

So there you have it. Our pets and other animals are awesome and wonderfully made. Also check out our fun video that focuses on how animals often adapt to their environment through camouflage. Here’s to Herman and all our pets this and every month!