I am the ten-year-old Labrador that grew up with your children and kept them safe on stormy nights. I'm the three-year-old cat too spoiled for my own good but still adorable all the same. I'm that parakeet your child begged and begged for and yet you're the one taking care of me. I'm in most of your photos and fvorite memories and even though my life span tends to be shorter, I enrich your life all the same. What would you do without me?

Yeah, I chew on things I probably shouldn't, and I can't always tell you when I need to go to the bathroom, but we have a special bond. When you are the lonely single woman watching another movie by yourself, you're really not because I'm curled up beside you pretending not to notice when you cry at the sad parts. And when you snuggle up to me I know you love me just as much as I love you. We're a dynamic team, even if one of us is really the only one who loves those 3 a.m. runs you're so keen on. Seriously? 3 a.m.? We're getting you a human friend.

I'm the one who fetches things when you're too lazy and makes you do the same vice versa. I never listen when you tell me to be polite and take my washing elsewhere. As much as I positively adore you using baby talk when I'm clearly past my baby days, I also know when you're being serious. I know the word treat like it's my personal brand of crack, and I know the word bath like it's the plague, though I always forgive you. Even after the scented shampoo incident. Floral-scented shampoo. No, really, I'm over it.

I just wanted you to know that we're still cool when you forget to fill my water bowl or forget your keys for the millionth time. Sometimes I forget to tell you when the cat's been hiding your favorite pair of earrings or that I'm hoarding one of your roommate's favorite socks. Yeah, it's currently under my pillow because I know it's the last place she'll ever look. Clever, right? Yeah, I know. Oh, and I just thought I should give you fair warning by telling you, I'm so not getting in that car.

Sincerely and Most-Definitely-Not-Falling-For-That-I-Know-It's-The-Vet,

Your Loving Pet