Are you a pet owner?

Yes, I currently own a pet/ pets
No, I do not currently own a pet

Follow up questions:
What pets do you own? How does owning pets or not owning pets affect your identity? Tell us about your relationship with your favorite pet.

My answers: YES! I have two adorable, cuddly, crazy Goldens who are actually biologically related to each other. My oldest, who's 8, is the aunt of my youngest, who's 1. I don't feel so alone with pets.
Izzy (shhh don't tell my 8 year old Golden) is my favorite. She's quite bright and follows directions/rules. She even dances, comforts me when I'm sad and is so excited to see me when I get home.

No, people do not have to own animals to be my friend but I relate to those people much better. A tally is tough as there are degrees. The 10 people I spend most of my time with 6 have at least 1 horse 5 have 1 or 2 dogs and 7 have 2 or 3 cats 5 fit in all 3 catogories.

Wow, my facebook friends are beast masters. Responses below...

Yes, we have a Shorkie, a shi-tzu/ yorkie mix.

Yes I own pets...i have 8 dogs, 4 cats and a pig...everybody knows of zoo of pets and I work for a vet.clinic so that is me...i dont have a favorite of all my animals, we all have a bond...love them

Yes, Shi Tzu, Keyser Soze... He is the only other boy I have ever loved.....

Yes, 1 cat. I never liked cats until I got one. Now I'm getting used to thinking of myself as a "cat person" and some have accused me of being a "crazy cat lady" which I deny. Don't you have to have lots of cats to be a crazy cat lady? It's not just because I'm crazy about my cat....

No, I don't. But I think that should read have a pet.

Nope.

Yes, I have 4 dogs(1 Golden Retriever and 3 Min Pins(miniature Pinchers), and 14 hermit Crabs...We take our Dogs with us Everywhere we go when we are going to be gone more than just a few hours... My Golden Hazzard Loves to go Jet Skiiing in the Summer!

Yup. I've got two boy cats. I get pegged as a cat person, but I like dogs, too. But cats are more low maintenance and I need that.

Yes. I have a cat!

Yes, three cats.

I have two cats, Jack and Boof, and they are definitely a part of the family!! I would own a dog if it wasn't for the responsibilities. Not sure if it changes our identity or not, but I do know that it does benefit us (i.e. living longer). My kitties (or as well call them at home, "sh*theads") are my babies. They follow me everywhere and never leave me alone. This picture of Jack just about sums up our relationship (he slept like that for over an hour!!). haha

Love: Jack with his mamaCourtesy Myself

Hey Margaret, great job posting results already, but as we've already noted with Facebook it's best to leave a couple days for results to come in. I didn't get mine posted yet! Hope I'll still be included.

Question: Pets.

My answer: Yes. I have dogs. It's definitely part of my identity. I am very much a part of the dog community. My relationship, to me it's more of a symbiosis, with the dogs I'm closer with.

My friends answers:
Yes I currently own a pet. I have a cocker spaniel, yes every one knows my dog is like my child, and well my relationship is he is like my child lol

I have 1 indoor kitty. I guess my indentity is of someone that cares deeply for animals. I feed and water several strays also. My relationship with my kitty is like that of mother and child. She is almost human....

Yes, I currently own a pet/ pets. I have 2 dogs. We love them (mostly). they're part of our family, and even though they bug me some times, I'd still rather have them than not.

Yes, I have Charlie, the tokay gecko I raised from an egg. He does not affect my identity at all except perhaps to affirm that I like geckos as pets. I feed him and he's happy... that's about the extent of our relationship. Lizards have small brains.

I own no pets, they own me. We have two labs here, 2 aquariums with fish, we are fostering a Shih-tzu, and Afican Grey Congo parrot, a Blue and Gold macaw and my daughters lizard is staying here for a bit. My favorite is all of them, they all bring sunshine into our house one way or another, they just brighten our life. BTW the lizard is a gecko. Love to watch Jade eat her crickets, FASINATING!

1. Yes
2. Yes

15 dogs/2cats
My world wrapped around the dogs. The dog show world *was* my world. Then I had three major surgeries in one year. I could not show, could not have a litter, could not even care for my own dogs for a period of time, or have many of them near me for fear of injury (total shoulder replacement and neck fusions). At the same time, I had moved to a new State, far from the dog shows and friends I knew. My identity was completely gone. I am only now (2 years into the process) re-establishing touch with the community I knew and getting involved slowly with dogs. I find non-dog activities lacking, so nothing has filled the void. It isn't the dogs as much as the type of people who are involved in dogs. I like them. I enjoy their company. My identity is very much wrapped up in the culture of dogs.
Shhh.. don't tell Tank he is a favorite. I sat with him for days following a surgery he had. When I had my surgeries, he was the one dog I could trust to do the same for me. He laid on my feet and whimpered, sensing he could not intrude into my lap. He comforted me.

Yes, two cats and a uromastyx (desert) lizard. None of them are much bother, although a) the cats are always into something, and b) the lizard is somewhat of a diva when she wants food.

Used to have dogs - mostly Basset hounds with a black Lab thrown in. Ditto (aka Dipstick, the Lab) always thought he was a Basset - at least until the shotgun came out. LOL Then he was ready to go get those birds.

I don't think that my identity was ever wrapped with my pets, although I do believe that pets and owners have a lot in common (and sometimes look alike). Out of all the Bassets, Jingles (Ch. Olde Fashion Jingle Bells, aka Jingle Franklin Bells) was my favorite... before he came to live with us, we had a special relationship whenever I would visit his owner/breeder (i.e. I would always let him on my lap on the verboten leather sofa LOL). Seriously though, we always just clicked, and when JB's breeder offered him to me (for free), I jumped at the chance. Still miss that boy... but I am definitely post-dog now.

Yes! However, did not have pets for 16 plus years! A kitten now 7 months old! It is a love/hate relationship! Mostly because she's soo curious and gets into things! But at evening she can be soo lovable! My grandson loves her so !! Now worried about when I go on vacations! Before I could just come and go!

My days and life revolve around my animals and always have. It affects my identity greatly. I do not know what I would without them. Morning &evening chores...weekly $200 trips to the feed store. The horses & dogs have the strongest connection with me. The love of my life passed away last Xmas. Rowdy,who I birthed out 28 years ago. Oh,the adventures we had over those years. I shared almost half of my lifetime with him...every day.

Yes I am currently owned by two pets. Maxwell the cat owns my computer room. Macie the Cairn Terreir owns my heart she is recovering from the aftermath of a heartworm eradication protocol that took a rough turn. The pets affect my identity? Well i don't wander off on three day unplanned trips. If you find someone who claims that heart worm preventative meds are either unneccessary or too expensive, you have my permission to pummel that person soundly with a large club wrapped in barb wire. That should fill you inabout my feelings about my favorite pet ... they have ALL been favorites.

Results for Question #29: Are you a pet owner?

Yes, I currently own a pet/ pets, 72 responses
No, I do not currently own a pet, 7 responses

Total responses: 79

Here are some of our pet-owner quotes that indicate a strong sense of identity:
"I have 3 horses, 2cats, and a rabbit. Very much, people associate me with horses and it is very much a lifestyle as well as an activity that can take lots of time."

"I never liked cats until I got one. Now I'm getting used to thinking of myself as a "cat person" and some have accused me of being a "crazy cat lady" which I deny. Don't you have to have lots of cats to be a crazy cat lady? It's not just because I'm crazy about my cat...."

"My kitties (or as well call them at home, 'sh*theads') are my babies. They follow me everywhere and never leave me alone."

"Yes I own pets...i have 8 dogs, 4 cats and a pig...everybody knows of zoo of pets and I work for a vet.clinic so that is me...i dont have a favorite of all my animals, we all have a bond...love them"

"Sadie is a rescue dog. I know without a doubt that God brought Sadie into my life when I was going through the worst time of my life. She gave me the strength to get through that as well as the loss of Max the Wonder Basset. She is my constant companion and watching her go from a terrified untrusting battered dog into the sweetest most loving loyal dog has been an incredible experience."