Cookie Pal

There’s no doubt, companion animals have become a significant part of most Americans’ lives. In the late 1980s, more than half of US households had a pet (which was still a significant amount) but in the decades since this has jumped to around 70 percent of households. For most people (69 million, to give Forbes’ estimate), their companion animal is a dog, while many others (around 45 million) choose to share their home with cats.