February 2010   My Pet Loves Me, This I Know   Many of us are familiar with the term anthropomorphism. For those of us who have never heard the term, we’re familiar with its definition: applying human qualities to nonhumans, including inanimate objects such as children’s dolls and toys, machines, and animals. Most animal lovers are guilty of it—talking to our four-legged companions as if they understand what we’re saying, dressing them up in clothes, being absolutely certain that they love us and miss us when we’re not home. When it boils down to it, though, we all realize there is a difference between human animals and nonhuman animals.   Many people argue that nonhuman animals have deep wells of emotions. The chewed up shoes and shredded sofa indicate their loneliness when we leave; the wagging ta ...

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