Whether you are a dog, a cat, a parrot or other weird pet person, you will more than likely identify with one of these five types of fur parents. This doesn’t apply to horses – there are more like 50 types of horse owners (all of whom are slightly off the rails) and all trying to recover from some vet bill.
For the sake of this blog, we will refer to pet owners as fur parents because that’s basically what they/we/you are.
#1 The Breed Soulmate
This fur-parent is committed to a certain breed, usually Dachshund, Beagles and Yorkies in dogs and Siameses, Maine Coons and Sphinxes in cats.
Behaviour
The Breed Soulmate may have other pets; but they stay true to their preferred breed and have every coffee mug, keyring, sticker (including a bumper sticker or car ornament ), collector’s item t-shirt, welcome mat and sign, several artworks and perhaps even a scatter cushion or ornament, dedicated to this breed.
Somewhere written on something are the words “Yorkies for life” or “>insert the favourite breed here< for life”.
Social Media Habits
If the Breed Soulmate is on Facebook, they are on every group of the breed that they love. For example, Dachshunds: Dachshund Rescue, Dachy’s Rehoming/Rescue or Dachy’s of Bapsfontein/Nigel/PTA/RSA/Afghanistan and more. And these fur-parents will also share every post of that breed that has gone missing, been found, or is in desperate need of a home.
They will also tell the plebs (or people not as committed to the breed) to re-post posts from the general groups on the breed-specific groups, almost as though it holds more authority than the general lost and found/ animal shelter groups.
Every single article, meme, post or blog on social media about their beloved, chosen breed is loved, shared, posted to others’ timelines, and tagged with fellow breed lovers, and links are shared via WhatsApp. All of their Facebook friends also tag them in every breed post.
#2 Cru-Ella Du Villiers
Cru-Ella Du Villiers are classified under the neglectful parents’ category.
Behaviour
These types of pet owners don’t mind leaving their dog or cat in the dark with an empty food bowl while they enjoy their lives.
They also don’t really bother to make arrangements for their fur babies when they go on holiday and, therefore, are abhorred by their neighbours. They may have a dog/cat or some animal shirt – but it was given to them by their Aunt Suzie, and it only comes out when the drain is blocked, the house needs painting, or nothing in their cupboard is clean.
Their animals are more-nice to have. The thing they occasionally play with once every few years when they cruelly stick tape to their feet for “fun” or do something equally crappy because they saw it on TikTok.
Social Media Habits:
They may post about one of their animals on Facebook. But only because they had to be euthanised, or they suddenly get the urge to give their animal away and think Social Media is the cheapest way to go about it.
They may or may not have once liked a post about an animal and shared a cat meme. And in some cases, this type of fur parent will claim to be an animal lover. But the words and actions don’t match.
#3 The Collectors
The Collectors are on a slippery slope between good and not-so-good.
Behaviour
The Collectors have over five animals – all of whom are rescues or “showed up”. The rescues may vary between dogs and cats… sometimes rabbits and other animals. Besides owning at least five fur babies, they often foster several for a shelter or until they can be rehomed (which hardly ever happens #fosterfail).
There is a fine line between good and evil with the Collectors.
Good = their home is brimming with fur-kids; wherever you look, there is a wagging tail or a grooming queen – all fat, healthy with all vacs up to date.
Bad = their home is overflowing. Animals, poop, vomit and stuff are found all over the house. The litterbox ratio is deplorable. There may be some wagging tails. And several gaunt-looking queens – unsterilised and on their fifth litter. The fur parents’ intentions may have been good – but they moved from rescuer to the animal hoarder category.
PS. The Collectors were normal five dogs or cats (or other animals) ago.
Social Media Habits
Collectors are on every animal rescue group and shelter page. They are on a first-name basis with the shelter managers. When not trying to rehome their fosters, they are trying to find homes for animals that will be put down in x amount of days if they don’t get home. They also share every missing pet post and celebrate every time an animal is reunited with an owner.
They tag everyone they know in posts to create awareness for some cause and sign petitions to free bears in Romania or dogs in South Korea.
#4 On-the-Bandwagons
On-the-Bandwagons have a pet or two (not ever really more).
Behaviour
The On-the-Bandwagons have a dog or two, possibly a cat that is hardly ever home. It’s not that these fur parents don’t particularly like or dislike animals – they just own one because everyone owns a pet. The pets generally sleep outside and are in a okay condition.
Social Media Habits
They may sometimes “aaaaah” at a puppy, kitty or panda post or hit the heart button on the post. Only if they know the owners of a missing pet will they share the post – otherwise, they are quite frugal with the button.
#5 The Fur Parents and Fur Grandparents
The Fur Parent or Grandparents own several animals and speak fluent fur language.
Behaviour
There is no difference between humans and fur kids in the home with this fur parent.
Beds and blankets are for the fur kids. Humans share the rest of the available space. If there is a bit of blanket left, they may cohabit with their furballs. But their floofs get the first choice.
No space is out of bounds for the fur babies. There’s no object they aren’t allowed to chew, scratch, lie on or eat (unless it is bad for them, like grapes or electrical cords).
These Fur Parents speak to their fluffy halves (“Yes, yes, I know you are hungry…”) and can tell with one look whether their babies are naughty, mischievous, angry, self-righteous, upset, proud, greedy or jealous.
Fur Parents and Fur Grandparents will hire professional photographers to take family portraits. In addition, the fur kids only eat top-of-the-range, vet-approved, gourmet food and a whole range of gourmet wet food.
Fur Parents seem to sniffle out other fur parents and talk about their babies ALL THE TIME.
Holidays? What are holidays? If the fur kids don’t go with – there will be no holidaying at all.
And oh ja – these Fur Parents have at least 20 animal themed mugs/pens/notepads/signs/ welcome mats/ slippers/pjs/blankies etc.
Social Media Habits
Fur parents and fur grandparents have their fur kids all over Social Media. Albums full of photos can be found on Facebook.
And Instagram is rife with cute photos and hilariously punny captions. Sometimes the fur kids even have their own Insta-accounts or pages. And some even start blogs called Sparkle Paws or something similar because they love their babies so much. But the point is that everyone knows all about the fur kids (sometimes to the point of annoyance).
Besides sharing and loving their own animal posts, fur parents are active on shelter pages. They will share and donate any expendable (sometimes not so expendable) cash to assist animals in need and ensure more people adopt furry kids.
They love sharing their babies and talking to other fur parents – swapping stories, advice, tales about furries who have crossed the rainbow bridge, and more.
Fur parents also sign petitions to free bears in Romania or dogs in South Korea, like the Collectors.
For fur parents having furries in their homes isn’t a responsibility but a privilege.
So those are the five general fur parents/pet owners you get. Let us know which one you are in the comment section!
If you had a laugh or feel generous, please share this post on Social Media – you will be showing support to a South African fur mom in need of readers.
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Did You Know? Sparkle Paws and Glitter Trails is officially run by one fur mom, four fur queens, one fur tom and a sassy thoroughbred mare named Folly! Every blog is compiled with animals and people who love animals in mind.
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