How pets can help you find love

We all know that a dog is man’s best friend, but can he also play Cupid? The word is that if you’re having trouble meeting the partner of your dreams, it might be time to grab your leash and enlist the help of your four-legged buddy.

Susie Willis, from the Petcare Information and Advisory Service says: ‘Recent research undertaken by town planner Virginia Jackson found that dogs are a conversation starter for 95 per cent of people who take their dogs to the park, and 38 per cent of them have gone on to become more than casual acquaintances.’

When you think about it, it’s not surprising that pets help us make friends. They are an easy icebreaker, their friendly antics lighten the conversation and they can prevent long silences.

In Sydney and Melbourne, many dog parks have social groups that gather regularly for ‘wine and waggy tails’ evenings, doggy birthdays and more.

There are also dog-friendly cafes where your pooch can share a puppachino with his mates, while you enjoy yours.

Matchmaking through pets has also extended to the internet. There is a dedicated online dating service for pet lovers in Australia – meetapetlover.com.au – which invites people to join up for free and find a soulmate, a friend or even a buddy for your pet.

The social networking site Facebook has a number of pet-friendly pages such as Animal Attraction (which used to have its own website), Outdoor Adventure Dogs in the US, and Pet Lovers Australia here.

One US gent with five dogs who went online knew he had found love when he read the profile of a lady who cared for seven canine and five feline pets. The Kentucky couple met, and were married in April last year.