Mumsnet users share how their pet is part of the family with Animal Friends Insurance

[EllieMumsnet]

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Whether you have a dog, a cat, a parrot, a guinea pig or even a tortoise, it’s safe to say that they are more than just pets. From being your side through new chapters in your life to growing up with your children and even acting as surrogate children to some, pets are a integral member of many families. That’s why Animal Friends Insurance would like to know how your pet is a member of your family.

Here’s what Animal Friends Insurance has to say: "With almost no effort at all, pets manage to bring so much joy into our lives. They make us laugh, comfort us when we’re sick or upset, and are always there for us no matter what. It’s no wonder that an estimated 12 million British households choose to keep a pet. We’ve compiled some free, downloadable guides here about pets and their development which you may find useful. As new members of our families they make fantastic companions. How has your pet benefitted your life?"

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Has your pet been there through milestones in your life? If so which ones? Do you celebrate your pet’s birthday every year? Perhaps he/she has their own special spot on the sofa or even on your bed? What about when it comes to holidays? Do you ensure your destination is pet friendly too so they can come along? Or maybe you are thorough in ensuring they have regular vet and/or grooming appointments?

No matter how your pet is part of the family, post it on the thread below and everyone who posts will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw.
MNHQ

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We absolutely adore our Golden Retriever and she's totally part of the family, she was diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy last year so we'd never go on holiday without her as she has a strict medication time-table. And yes, we celebrate her birthday every year

I don't have a household pet however have had my two ponies since I was ten and now I am 31! They have forever homes . I have to do them twice a day everyday and I still enjoy driving to the yard and hearing them winnie as they know my car ! .

Every family bereavement , relationship breakdown or just rubbish times through life their necks have had many tears on them , they are silent but they know when you are down and they don't judge they just listen to all your worries 😊 xx

We don’t have pets now as DH is allergic to everything, but it’s no exaggeration to say that throughout my chaotic childhood, my animals were the most stable emotional grounding I had.

We have six rescue cats and they have taken over the house and garden.

We have three two huge cat trees indoors, hammocks, blankets, boxes and cat beds. They sleep on the sofa.

We have a cat house in the garden in case they get caught out in the rain when we are out.

One of our older boy cats is my daughters, they have a wonderful relationship since we took him in last year. At 15, he is two years older than her, but he waits for her to get home from school each day and immediately wants to be picked up for a cuddle. It's the sweetest relationship.

All our cats are wonderful, and I can't imagine life without them here.

My dog is my baby, she goes everywhere with me, she even curls up under my desk at work. During my darkest times with anxiety and depression, getting out in the fields with her made me feel even the tiniest bit better and more human. She snuggles between my feet in bed every night and makes the sweetest snuffly comfy noises to let me know she feels cosy and safe and I do too!

I have 2 human dc but very much think of our 2 dogs like children so 4dc in total.
Me and my dog were even pregnant at the same time. Not long after she gave birth I took her outside where she sneezed and started peeing. We gave each other a knowing look. I think lots of people think Im bonkers

My wonderful dogs have seen me through the death of a partner, over 10 house moves, the birth of my daughter who they welcomed with their usual grace. They were there for me at every turn - two solid, warm little presences giving so much comfort. I lost my beautiful girl dog 3 years ago when she was 13, which devastated me.
Her brother is still going strong, aged 16 and he has remained my one constant, shepherding me through a marriage break up and raising my daughter.
I love him deeply and unendingly and I will forever be grateful that whatever else I may or may not have had in my life, I was lucky enough to share a part of it with the 2 most wonderful, devoted creatures who ever lived. God bless you my terrierists.

Youngest cat has recently moved out to university with dc1, is now living in a student house in another city. That's quite a milestone for us and cat. As dc1 is an art student there seems to be plenty of time for catcare and the whole student house enjoys having cat there.

Maddaddam oh that's lovely. DS did (half) jokingly say that he wished he could take a cat to university with him but not in halls for sure.

Our cat is part of our family- I let my daughter have a little party on her birthday each year, she sleeps on her bed every night and they are very sweet together.

Our cat came to us when he was about 8years old and DD was 2. They have been such great friends from the very beginning. When he was still hiding under the bed most days she was the only one he'd come out for. Now he loves to sit with her while she plays. He is her big brother, it's absolutely adorable how close they are.

Have 2 dogs. Have always been petrified of dogs, no matter how small. When I met my DH he had a puppy. It was a case of get over my fears or lose a good man. So I did and I'm so glad!! The happiness our dogs bring is insane. I have been diagnosed with OCD and initially, despite how much I love them, I found the mess, hairs, destruction etc really hard to deal with. I can honestly say they have been the best therapy. I have had to become less compulsive, as it's not possible to roll around playing with your dog and enjoy it while worrying about germs and hairs and things being in perfect order. I like seeing their little faces when they've successfully removed every single one of their numerous toys from the toy box. I like knowing I'm giving them a good life and when they snuggle up to me, I know they're happy little terrors So choose them over being compulsive and though it's a daily choice, not always an easy one, it's a choice I happily make.

My sister's dog is like our pet, cones round here all the time and rules the roost! She is very cute!

My dog forces me to excercise every day, and I always end up enjoying it and feeling better!

Leroy is not part of the family. Leroy is The Boss, we are staff.

(He's my baby really.)

We rescued our dog from Romania and he is such a big part of our family. He is particularly special as he survived major surgery after being hit by a pickup and trailer.
Most bits of him were broken and he spent weeks away from us at the surgeons.
He still came home smiling and wagging his tail - he's a total star.
He's made a full recovery and is really more like a third child. I dread the day anything happens to him.
He has the best smile ever. He's a total joy and loves cuddling more than anything!

I had to have a hysterectomy 18 months ago which meant having to rest up for quite a while to recuperate. Our usually very feisty tortoiseshell cat became worryingly affectionate towards me during this time and actually wanted to be with me. Animals really do sense when things aren't right - it was actually very nice to be able to stroke her and give her loads of fuss without being scratched and hissed at. This helped my inner calmness and gave me something else to focus on and definitely aided a swift recovery.
Unfortunately this unexpected spell of feline love ceased once I was back on my feet but it was nice while it lasted!

Our dog is so special to us, the joy he has brought into our life is just incredible. We have someone in our family who's going through an awful situation at the moment and yet our dog never fails to bring a smile to their face.

Holidays are based in dog-friendly locations, usually the Lake District or Northumberland. We don't go abroad, we'd miss him too much.

We celebrate our dog's birthday and also the day he came to live with us plus he gets Christmas presents from family and friends. He lives the life of Riley, I've even told my husband in the event of a fire/ emergency he must make sure the dog is safe before me!

I have 2 cats who are brothers, and i make sure that they get something for Christmas and for their birthday! They are spoiled and definitely part of the family

I've always grown up around animals and now have two kittens. They're only six months old but already my son and I are talking about celebrating their birthday which happens to be the week after my son's. At Christmas they had a little bowl of turkey while we had our Christmas Dinner and were totally spoilt with toys and treats.

They provide me with support for my anxiety and are invaluable to me. Within the 2 months we've had them they have helped me massively and have basically become my furry children.
They are involved in everything from breakfast with us to snuggling up in bed at night. My son greets the cats before us when he gets in from school

Our guinea pigs always live inside with us in our family room, so they couldn't be any more part of our family. We all love hearing their chatter and how excited they get when they can smell cucumber for their dinner. It means they are close by for cuddles as well and forces us to ensure their bedding is kept regularly changed as otherwise it gets stinky.

We've always had cats and we find them quite an easy pet to look after. They remind you when they need feeding, give cuddles and affection but are also very independent too.
One of my cats was my 'bump buddy' and he used to sleep on my tummy when I was pregnant. I'm sure he knew! Though he's less keen on the actual baby!

We have a dog, he's a French bulldog who recently turned one, and has a massive personality. We don't have children unfortunately so he is like our baby, and we treat him as such. He got presents for Christmas and his birthday. My mum even knit him his own scarf. We are very careful health wise, he doesn't get human food apart from the odd carrot and gets plenty of exercise. He is fit and a healthy weight and has regular check ups with the vet. He brings so much joy to our lives and fills a great hole in our family. he even has is own Instagram 🤣

Our cat shares the kids bed, she takes it in turns so no-one is left out!