How do you know if your pet loves you?

Continuing her series tackling socially unacceptable questions, Christine Manby wonders if our furry friends reciprocate our affections

Illustrations by Tom Ford

This year’s “Love Your Pet Day” falls on 20 February, which seems like a pretty redundant sort of national day to me. Don’t most people love their pets every day of the year? Isn’t that the point of having them? And those people who don’t love their pets are hardly going to be swayed by a national day telling them they should.

A large fine or a short prison sentence would seem to be a better way to address the behaviour of anyone who mistreats animals. Particularly given the well documented connection between animal and child abuse. So, “Do you love your pet?” is a question that 99 per cent of pet owners are sure to answer, “yes”. They need no special reminder to give their dog, cat or crocodile a cuddle.

Let’s spin the question on its head and ask instead. “Do you think your pet loves you?”