August 26 is National Dog Day – a good time to celebrate the canine who enriches your life. Give him or her an extra hug today. (Yes, I know, “experts” say dogs don’t like hugs. Mine do.)

Katie – who still thinks she’s a lap dog
If you’re currently “dogless” or need one more, it’s also a good time to check out Petfinders or to plan a visit to your local shelter.
According to Gallup News, 44% of Americans own dogs, 29% own cats, and of course some share their lives with both. 40% have no pets at all.
I haven’t kept track of the actual numbers, but of the real estate
Puppy the boat dog.agents I write for, the majority are pet people. In addition, Active Rain posts tell me that the majority of real estate professionals are not only “Pet people” but believe strongly in supporting (and adopting from) their local rescue shelters.
The sad part of the news is that over a million dogs and cats are euthanized each year, and there are an estimated 70 million strays.
So – love your dog (and your cat) and be kind – spay and neuter to keep the population and the homeless rate down.