The Unconditional Love of an Animal

Nobody loves you like your animal loves you! They perfectly embody unconditional love. 

An Animal Is the Personification of Love By Sergei Van Bellinghen

It is an incredible feeling to play with a dog, cuddle with a cat, ride a horse or bond with a bird. Even watching a video about a wild animal getting her young out of a sticky situation touches us. So, animals have an extraordinary healing power that goes beyond what we can imagine.  

Let’s Care More

Most of you know the love an animal can have. You know the feeling. It is the touch of a wet nose rubbing your face or the sound of a concerned whimper when you are sad. Or it is also the jump on your lap or the absolute happiness when they see you. But it is even more profound when you look into their wide and compassionate eyes. They then seem to understand you on the deepest level.

So, if you are an animal lover, you already know it to be true. Animals are capable of deep, unconditional love that is way beyond what you and I can feel. Yet, there is a cliché linked to pets waiting for adoption in shelters across the world. It looks, for many of you, that you believe an animal in a shelter is there just because it is undesirable or broken in some way.

But nothing is further from the truth. It is a fact that only five out of every ten animals in shelters never leave alive. In my life, I saw animals that were so starved, so thin, so abused, so neglected. Those are the ones who have seen the absolute worst of humanity. And yet somehow, they find the strength to live; not only to live but to forgive, trust and give unconditional love once again.

The Unconditional Love of an Animal

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress is judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Some scientific studies show that animals feel the love in the same way people do; through a chemical process. When you hold an animal, like your pet, your cat, dog, horse and many other creatures of the animal kingdom, something magical happens. It releases the same hormones that you do when you are in love.

As a result, there is really no love like the unconditional love of an animal. They do not have to do it, yet they still do. Animals know that you are unique to them and very often, you are their whole world. So be always kind!

The Magic of Loving an Animal

I do love all animals. They are beautiful creatures that deserve their place in this world. And I realized that loving an animal changes a person’s life as well as mine. Whether they are an army, service, therapy, farm, wild animal, or just your pet, the love you have for them is unique. But the extraordinary love you receive back is one of the purest feelings on this planet.

The Motives of Unconditional Love

Surely, you heard a wolf howl longing to the moon, but do you know why? Wolves cry out from sorrow when they miss an absent member of their pack. Some dogs will not leave the side of their owner’s grave. Did you ever see your pet yawn also when you do? Well, it is meant to be a sign of adoration for you, its owner.

And what is it when your cat relaxes lazily in a sunny spot of the house, makes eye contact with you across the room and then blinks gently? In cat body language, a slow, deliberate blink means an expression of total trust, vulnerability, and friendliness. Otters hold hands while they sleep and rest, to prevent clans from losing each other. Rats have been known to free other rats from their cages.

Elephants also possess unconditional love. They are emotional creatures and show compelling acts of affection when, for example, grieving for a lost loved one. Some even die of broken hearts after the death of another. These gentle souls stand over the remains, weeping for several minutes to numerous days. They will also go so far as to bury the bodies under leaves. And those are not the only animals that show incredible feelings and cleverness.

The Human and Animal Worlds

The separation between the human and animal worlds is not as extensive as you might think. Animals hold such wisdom and power. And when we interact with them, they often sooth our pain and problems that we feel are all too overwhelming.

Therefore, the most magical aspect of your human-animal connection is this unspoken language that you share with them. It fosters trust and affection that never wavers or fades. Studies show that petting and spending time with an animal inevitably decreases the levels of stress running through your body.

So, the more affection, care, and attention that you give to an animal or pet, the more you receive a lot of devotion in response. As a result, there is nothing that equals the unconditional love of an animal. And I believe that we have a lot to learn from them.

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unweakened.”- Anatole France

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