By Ari Liakeas
Well, if I’m going to be completely frank and honest here, I personally couldn’t imagine dating anyone who didn’t love animals. In fact, it’s a hard no in the dating world with me if you don’t love animals, and I’ve turned down dates with men who were weird about me having dogs. Sorry, buddy, see ya!
I even have a friend who is so extreme about it that she refused to date anyone who wasn’t vegan or on a plant-based diet. She has some firm boundaries regarding the integrity of the people she dates.
There’s nothing sexier than a person who loves animals, right? I mean, it’s such an endearing quality in a person.
Perhaps that is just my opinion, but on Tinder and other dating apps, you must have seen pictures of people with their fluffy friends. You might be thinking, “hey, have they just borrowed that puppy for a photo shoot to look cuter and more dateable?”. But it works. I’ve swiped yes on people just because they have pictures with animals. But not pictures of some dude with a gun holding up a deer he just shot!
I clicked on my current partner on Tinder mainly because he had a picture of him cuddling stray cats in Istanbul. I thought, “he travels and loves animals; this is a man for me”, and I wasn’t wrong. He’s a beautiful human, and animals love him. We have a wonderful relationship with lots of animal friends in our life.
(By the way, there’s a Tinder-style App called Get Pet that connects dogs with their future owners!)
What Makes An Animal Lover Dateable?
So what makes an animal lover more dateable? It can’t be just because they have a cute fluffy friend that you get to befriend too. Although this is a big plus!
Are men’s and women’s intentions in what we look for in a partner who cares for animals different?
Women find the caring, affectionate and nurturing aspect attractive in men who love animals. While men seem to see women who love animals as having a stronger sense of what she wants in a relationship. They think female animal lovers have more balanced emotions or are more emotionally evolved. Also, as she cares for something other than just themselves, it will make them feel comfortable and at ease.
Here are some reasons why loving your fluffy friends brings success in the dating world:
- Connection – If you are both avid animal lovers, you instantly have a mutual bond and potentially similar interests. There is a deeper understanding of how you live your life, especially if you both have pets; you will understand what values are important.
- Empathy & Kindness – Anyone who cares for and is kind to animals, can surely be more empathetic, compassionate and kind in their relationships with humans. Although this is not always the case, I have personally met a few people who are excellent with animals and terrible in their communications and connections with humans. Often these people have been badly hurt by human behaviour and feel safer in the company of animals.
- Commitment – It takes a lot of dedication to have a pet, and it sometimes brings elements of lifestyle change. If someone is committed to caring for their animal, it is usually a sign that they can commit to a relationship.
- Crisis Management – If your pet has ever been injured or sick and you have had to take them to the vet, you know that keeping calm and focused in these situations is vital. You don’t want someone flapping about, getting hysterical around your animal. Having someone who stays calm and stable in a crisis is an absolute asset to a relationship dynamic.
- Responsibility – Being a responsible person is undoubtedly a quality you need when you are a pet parent. Taking care of them by ensuring they are walked, fed, loved and kept away from danger is all part of having a fur baby. This is also imperative if your relationship goes to the next level and you decide to have children. Being with someone who takes responsibility on all levels helps to build grounds for a solid relationship.
- Intimacy & Love – Someone with animals, has most likely built the skills of love, intimacy and trust. Animals are very intuitive, and it takes time to build trust with them. They need to know they are safe in your company. A deep intimacy, gentleness and love must be shown to build this trust. Isn’t this one of the main qualities we would also look for in a potential partner?
So maybe, before you swipe yes on the hottest-looking person on your dating app, read their profile and check to see if they love animals. If they do, who knows, they may just be your purrrrfect match!