10 Things Our Pets Would Tell Us If They Could

1.  Dogs and cats are not furry people in disguise. They are wolves and North African wildcats in disguise.

2.  There are more dogs in the United States than there are people in the United Kingdom. There are more cats in the United States than there are people in France.

3.  Chocolate in excess is poisonous to dogs--the darker, the more dangerous.

4.  A single acetaminophen tablet can kill a cat. Never use human painkillers for cats except under veterinary supervision.

5.  Declawing cats is a cultural practice. It is sometimes done in North America, but it's almost unheard of in Europe.

6.  Spayed female dogs live on average one and a half years longer than dogs not spayed.

7.  Neutering male dogs reduces some forms of aggression, but it does not prolong a dog's life expectancy. However, neutering does help alleviate certain behavior problems and clinical conditions such as prostate enlargement.

8.  The Americans with Disabilities Act permits people with disabilities to take their trained service dogs anywhere, public or private, including areas that are off-limits for other dogs.

9.  Dog ownership in North America and Europe has declined for the last decade, while cat ownership has increased.

10. The total cost of buying, feeding, and maintaining a dog the size of a Labrador retriever is, on average, equal to the cost of one Starbucks Espresso Frappuccino® a day.