The Gift of Friendship

Who doesn’t dream of a someone who understands what you do, what you think, and what you feel? A friend who knows when you’re happy and when you’re not and knows just what to do! There’s nothing better than a best friend and we all want one. Animal friendships can be every bit as strong and lasting as our human friendships can be. They can also provide the same kind of benefits: companionship, support, and mutual enjoyment.

How do we know friendships between animals exist? We see the evidence in countless shared photos, videos, media news stories, and just by observing animals in our everyday life. Who do they choose to play with; who do they choose to be near; who do they tend to be most comfortable with; who are they always happy to see? The optimal well-being of social animals includes contact with appropriate others. This need is most commonly met by other members of the same species due to shared behavior and language, but sometimes it is met by surprising “others.” Predator and prey can bridge the gap of instinct and peacefully and lovingly co-exist. Feathered and furred can form inseparable bonds.

 It’s hard to know what draws two animals together. Sometimes the relationship begins during youth, when having fun is a big part of life and learning. While not always the case, the old adage, “Those that play together stay together!” explains the basis for some lifelong bonds between animals. Sometimes the need for support and protection can bring animals together. A young or fearful animal may be drawn to a more confident animal, forming an alliance to increase feelings of safety. We hear of animals who, after losing a longtime animal companion, become more fearful and less willing to venture into the world alone. We only become aware of the depth of that dependency when the relationship ends for one reason or another. Sometimes the friendship arises simply from a need to connect with another for companionship. Humans don’t hold exclusivity on feelings of loneliness.

 At the Florida Keys SPCA, we see examples of animal friendship on a regular basis, and it often informs our decision-making in terms of an animal’s future well-being. We encourage adopting pairs of animals who are closely bonded and emotionally dependent on each other and do our best to make it happen. In the past, this has included dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, ducks, and even a goose named Lucy and her BFF a pot-bellied pig named Penny!

Since companion and other domestic social animals have few choices in how they live their lives, a gift we can offer them is consideration of not just their physical needs but their equally important emotional and social needs and then do our best to meet those needs in appropriate and safe ways.

For more information on the Florida Keys SPCA and our mission, please visit www.fkspca.org