The Case For Dating Your Dog on Valentine's Day
We’ve all heard the “tragic” stories.
“If you don’t find a partner you’ll end up alone,” they say. “You’ll be a sad lady with your cats on Valentine’s Day, and most likely for eternity.”
I’d like to confront that statement right here and now, on this Valentine’s Day, so we can put it to rest forever.
First of all, spending Valentine’s Day “alone” with your pets is not, in fact, spending it alone. If there’s another living being there, you’re not alone. That’s just math. Second of all, which part of having an animal who loves you unconditionally, every single day, and is incredibly loyal to you makes said animal an inferior companion? And in comparison to whom? To shitty partners who text you back sometimes, or don’t wanna “label it,” even though you’ve been steadily fucking and connecting emotionally every night for the last month?
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When did we all decide that it’s better to have a human person —who you barely like/trust/want around —choose you on Valentine’s Day, than it is to have an animal you wholly like, trust, and want around with you on Valentine’s Day?
My dog Lights is literally my favorite person on earth— and yes, I said person, because she is. She’s more empathetic, trustworthy, kind, thoughtful, sweet, and reliable than any partner I’ve had (so far. see? optimism!) and it’s laughably stupid for society to tell me (or you!) that my finding love with another living creature, in any possible way I can, is stupid or sad.
If someone gave you $1 million, but in the form of gold doubloons, you wouldn’t be like, “This does not count.” No, you would go a find a sea captain and work out a deal. A bizarre comparison perhaps, but I think it’s just as bizarre to say that the only love that counts is “when a human chooses another human in a romantic way.” And to those people who hold those beliefs, I say this. Maybe you’ve never truly connected with a dog or cat or parakeet or ferret in a way where it felt like they were absolutely your soulmate or child, and you couldn’t believe how loved you felt, finally, after never feeling that depth of love from humans ever, and that’s fine. But so, so many people have. And it is a gift.
And until you’ve felt how incredible it is to have that kind of connection with someone who can’t technically speak to you (although jokes on you, Lights totally communicates with me via her mind 24/7), you don’t get to tell other people what counts as love to them, or make them feel ashamed because they found love from an animal and not a person, like you’re the mayor of...nothing.
If you do know what that kind of love is like, I fully encourage you, reading this, to spend today with your pets if you have them (and if you don’t oh my goodness adopt a rescued animal, it was the best thing I ever did, or spend them with friend’s pets, or visiting an animal shelter). You know how your ex-boyfriend would sometimes text you to hang out all the time and then never? Dogs want to see you all the time! Your ex-girlfriend asked you 2675 times what you are to each other, even when you’ve had that discussion and she absolutely knows and just doesn’t like it? Your cat does not care what you are to each other, but will be on the couch meowing if you feel like petting her.
Maybe you’ll find your person some day, and if you want that. Until then, find love anywhere you can, with anyone you can. Love, no matter where it comes from, is a gift. Plus, have you ever seen Valentine’s Day pet costumes? Good luck finding a human partner who can look that cute in hearts.
Lane Moore is the #1 bestselling author of How to Be Alone: If You Want to and Even If You Don’t, and the creator of hit comedy show Tinder Live. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
