There are few things in life that give us as much satisfaction as when we are loved and appreciated. When we know that we are important to someone else and that we are on their minds, we have a deep sense of worth and purpose.

Sadly, there is an increasing number of people in society who never enjoy being the object of another’s attention or interest. For one reason or another they live unto themselves. They may be shy or self-conscious, or they may have developed a distrusting spirit for people. Whatever the reason, aside from work and shopping, they have become virtual hermits in society.

Such circumstances do not eliminate the basic need we all have to feel that we are loved and needed. Whether our loner status is the result of being shunned by society or a self-imposed moratorium toward gregarious behavior, the need to feel important remains and there needs to be an accommodation of this need in our lives.

Enter the beloved pet. For those who cannot or will not develop human bonds, there is the alternative of pet friendship. Of course, keeping a pet is something anyone can enjoy. Great relationships with pets are enjoyed by everyone. Still, somehow for those who are lonely for human companionship, it seems they cling more closely to their pets than those of us who balance our lives with both human and animal friends. The pet is all they have. All of their social need is vested in their relationship with that pet.

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