Animals are an integral part of life. They are everywhere. From the backyard squirrels in the trees to the neighbors’ dogs walking down the street, they are everywhere you see. And that’s how it should be. There is a spectrum, of sorts, where people stand with animals. Some people don’t like them at all. Maybe it’s the way they look, or act, or result of trauma surrounding animals, but there is something that keeps them from engaging with them at all. Others are entirely indifferent, neither hating nor loving animals. And finally, some people love animals. Everything about animals draws them in, and everything about them makes them choose animals over everything. People like this all fall under the term, “animal lover”.
However, the big question is, what makes up an animal lover? What does it truly mean to be an animal lover, and what makes someone an animal lover? Why do people even become animal lovers? Well, if this is what you’re wondering, look no further. Here is everything you need to know about animal lovers.
What is an Animal Lover?
An animal lover, as the name suggests, is a person who loves animals. They tend to enjoy animals more than most people. They also tend to have more empathy towards animals and often try to advocate for animal welfare. For example, in the UK, 70% of those who reported being vegan did so for animal welfare concerns. Clearly, many animal lovers take their care for animals to heart. Their entire lifestyles can be influenced by their love for animals.
Why Are People Animal Lovers?
So, why do people become animal lovers? Well, there are some reasons that have been concluded.
For one, those who grew up around animals are far more likely to be animal lovers. As this study has found, youth tend to give their pets a lot more importance than adults, even claiming them to be “more important than humans”. When someone grows up with animals and adopts this mindset about their pets, they are far more likely to maintain that strong empathy for animals as they grow older.
One interesting thing that has been discovered through research was a potential genetic reason for people to be animal lovers. A study found that a certain oxytocin gene was found in people who love animals more than most others. Oxytocin is the “love hormone” which helps with social bonding. The study found that people with a certain version of this oxytocin gene tend to show more empathy and love towards animals.
How to Know You’re an Animal Lover
Now that you’ve read all the way up until here, I know there is one question you might be having. How can I know if I’m an animal lover? Some know the answer, and that it’s not. You’ve never particularly cared for animals, whether it’s because you’ve never really been around them or have had negative experiences with them. But some of you might love animals very much. But how do you know if you truly connect with animals on that deep level? So much so that you can be considered an animal lover?
#1 : You prefer being around animals than humans
Many times, the signs of an animal is their preferential treatment towards animals. There’s a dog in your friend’s house? You best believe you’ll be spending half your time around the dog. A stray cat sitting outside? You’ll be sitting outside carefully watching them, even if it’s from ten feet away. It doesn’t matter if your family is playing badminton in the backyard or your friend is preparing to bake the best cookies, those animals will always catch your eye.
So, if you think you’re an animal lover, think about how you react to animals. Do they excite you every time you see them? Do they immediately grab your attention every time you’re around them? Or do you feel relatively indifferent to them under most circumstances?
#2 : You find animals cute but not as much people
Baby animals of any species are always cute. That’s a given. But sometimes, you might find some more cute than others, and if you are an animal lover, those human babies might not grab your attention nearly as much. If you are shown a video of a puppy versus a baby, you’d probably like the puppy more. If you had to choose between playing with your friend’s kitten and her baby cousin, you’d be around the kitten the whole time. Unfortunately, the affection you have for humans doesn’t measure up to the affection you have for animals.
Think about it—is this how you are? Do you always get confused when people gush over babies but immediately act the same way when seeing any animal doing whatever they want? If so, you might just be an animal lover. Of course, to be an animal lover, you don’t have to hate people. It’s simply a preference to animals, an adoration you get from animals that you’ve never felt from humans.
#3 : You don’t hate any animals
One big thing I think most people who identify themselves as animal lovers forget is that they have to love all animals, not just their pets. You can’t claim to be an animal lover when the only animals you love are cats and dogs. An animal lover truly cares about animals, and all animals. It doesn’t matter if you would never come in contact with that animal species, you will still love them as an animal lover.
There’s also nothing that can make you hate an animal. Sure, there might be an annoying pet or scary wild animal from a news story, but none of that makes you hate them. You can understand that animals hardly ever have sadistic intentions and you can’t hate any of them for anything.
#4 : The pain of animals hurts you
When you are an animal lover, you have immense empathy for them too. So, when something bad happens to an animal, you can feel it, and it hurts. If you watch a movie where the pet dies, you will probably cry, even if you didn’t for the humans in the movie. The dilemma of saving a dog or child in a burning building is serious to you because you can hold an animal to the same value as a human being. Although many people like to consider this “immoral”, there is no logistical morality that heightens the “value” of human life. In the grand scheme of things, all life holds the same value, and you are able to see that.
#5 : You are willing to change your lifestyle for animal welfare
Finally, you will change your lifestyle if it means protecting animal welfare. You are willing to give up your comfort or pleasure in order to help animals in need. What might this look like? Well, the easiest thing to think about is becoming vegan. While not all vegans choose their lifestyle for animal welfare, many do. When you become vegan, you give up the pleasure of meat and dairy. You give up the comfort of accessible food to buy outside. However, it is all to play your part in advocating for animal welfare.
Is this who you are? Would you be willing to give up your comfort if it means you can help animals? If so, you are probably an animal lover. However, if you are unwilling to give up that comfort in the name of animal welfare, then you’re probably not an animal lover.
Conclusion
So, that’s about all you need to know about animal lovers. It’s very interesting how much science can actually go into being an animal lover, more than anyone would’ve thought. It’s such a seemingly simple yet complex topic.
One thing I know is that everyone wants to be an animal lover. It’s always nice to think that you’re that one person who truly and deeply feels animals. However, that isn’t everyone, and that’s okay. You can love animals as much as you want, but you may not be an animal lover. That’s alright. There is nothing wrong with being an animal lover—some people feel and some don’t. Just make sure you are understanding to everyone, human or animal.
