There's the "animal lovers" whose faces alight when they see images of Golden Retriever puppies on their Twitter timelines, and then there's us, the animal lovers who preserve the lives of spiders and shed tears when we see dead squirrels on the side of the road.
Here are 10 signs you're a true animal lover:
1. Your house is either qualifiable as a mini-zoo or you wish it was.
Your dream house comes with a wrap-around porch, hard-wood flooring and 25 dogs.
2. You live by the mantra "adopt, don't shop" and openly judge those who buy animals from breeders.
Approximately 7.6 animals enter shelters in the United States each year, and of that, about 2.7 animals are euthanized. You have the power to change an animal's life, so be that change.
3. You either spend all your free-time on Petfinder....
C'mon, please tell me I'm not the only one who hits up Petfinder 20 times a day...
4. Or hitting up your local shelters to either volunteer, adopt, or give love to the under-loved.
And you probably leave with tears glistening in your eyes because you can't take them all home...
5. You oppose zoos because placing wild animals in captivity is immoral and inhumane.
Placing animals in captivity, particularly in enclosures that poorly mirror their natural habitats, can be very psychologically damaging to animals. Is our entertainment really worth their misery? You don't think so!
6. And in your mind, nothing is worse than Sea World. You hate them with every fiber of your being and think they are devil incarnates.
We've all heard of the 2010 death of Dawn Brancheau, when Sea World's own Tilikum, a vetern orca, dragged its trainer into the pool where he brutally murdered her after a psychological breakdown. But yeah, keeping wild orcas in tiny pools is a "great" idea. A-huh. Absolutely.
And if you have not heard of this infamous tale, you should defintely check out the documentary, "Black Fish," where this incident, as well as others, is revealed in thorough and emotional detail.
7. You absolutely lose your shit when an animal dies in a show or movie.
Honestly though, why did they have to kill the dog? What about its owner?
8. If you're health permits it, you're probably a vegan/vegetarian.
You've seen the videos of baby chicks being pulverized and decided not to give your money to meat cooperations that profit off the mutilation of animals.
*However, it should be noted that not everyone can be a vegan/vegitarian. Every one's body is different.*
9. You also do not understand how someone could find pleasure in hunting.
I cry over roadkill and you willingly go out and shoot animals.... for fun? Yeah, I will probably never understand that.
10. You regard your pets as your children, and treat them accordingly.
Your baby wakes you up with demonic-like cries at 2 a.m., while mine peacefully snoozes at the foot of my bed each night. So who's the real winner here?
11. You've probably had a secret dorm pet because you couldn't bear to be pet-less for a whole year.
Despite strict policy against it, you decided to take the risk and sneak in a secret dorm pet to compensate for the pets you had to leave back home. Mine was a hamster, what was yours?
12. You love every animal, regardless of species, because that's what it means to be an animal lover.
Yes, even snakes and spiders.
13. Which means you'd rather run around your house with a plastic cup trying to find the spider to take it outside than kill it.
Yeah, this one's hard to fathom if you're not one of us.
14. There's no limit to how much you're willing to spoil and spend on your pet.
Because every dog should have a two-story custom-made doghouse...
15. Your social media is filled with pictures of your pets and they're pretty much all you can ever talk about.
Sorry not sorry.
16. The worst part about a new school year is having to say goodbye to your pets.
You can talk to your mom and dad on the phone or on Skype, but once you leave your pets, they are gone. No more cuddles. No more crying in their tufts of fur. It truly is a heartbreaking experience.
17. And the best part about Christmas/summer break is being reunited with your pets.
Best Christmas present ever.
18. Knowing you will probably not live through having to see your pets die.
I've somehow convinced myself my pets are immortal. How about you?
19. You don't understand why pit bulls get such a bad rap because you ardently believe every animal deserves love.
You're not a dog lover if you exclude pit bulls from your love. Remember that.
20. The first thing you do at any party is find the host's pets.
And they're probably your best friend throughout the night.
21. Your pre-requisite for dating anyone is that they're also an animal lover.
To be honest, once my boyfriend told me he had a Husky, I was sold.
22. You'd rather hang out with animals than people any day.
They'll never abandon you or talk behind your back, they are the perfect companions.
23. Your biggest fear is hitting an animal with your car.
You're not even concerned about your safety, or the safety of your car, but knowing you killed an animal would absolutely destroy you.
24. You're pursuing a career that pertains to animals.
Whether your childhood included fantasies of becoming a vet, or your reality ensures such, you've always wanted to help animals every way you could.
25. You use only cruelty-free beauty products and avoid clothing products made from the fur of animals.
Here is the 2016 list of cruelty brands as compiled by PETA:
If you looked at least 10 of these and nodded your head in perfect agreement, then you're a true animal lover.
