Writing About Pets - A Lucrative Career For a Freelance Writer
A pet is an animal that is kept primarily for companionship rather than as livestock or work animals. Throughout history, humans have had a love/hate relationship with pets. Many of the earliest domesticated animals were used for food, but the relationship between Alexander the Great and his horse Bucephalus or the popularity of Lassie in modern times has shown that pets are often more than just utilitarian companions.
The most popular pets are dogs and cats. Other common animals include rodents such as hamsters and rats; birds (parrots, cockatiels and budgies); reptiles such as snakes and lizards; fish; freshwater snails; and amphibians such as frogs and salamanders. Wild animals that have been fundamentally changed in behavior and have been bred to co-exist with human beings can also be considered pets.
Almost all pets are companions that provide emotional and physical support for their owners. Their boundless loyalty and affection have helped to shape the way in which humans live. Moreover, owning a pet has been shown to have positive health benefits. For example, stroking a dog can stimulate the release of feel-good hormones oxytocin and dopamine.
As a result, the pet industry has grown to be a multi-billion dollar market. This is not limited to traditional pet stores, but includes a wide variety of outlets such as grooming services, boarding facilities and veterinary hospitals.
In addition, the bond between a pet and its owner has been unabashedly sentimentalized in art, literature and film. The famous image of Alexander the Great and his horse Bucephalus, the popular dogs Rin Tin Tin and Lassie, and the countless other animal-themed movies have helped to create a romantic notion of the perfect family pet.
Writing articles about pets can be a lucrative career for a freelance writer. These articles are not restricted to pet publications; they may also appear in a variety of other genres such as travel, family or insurance magazines.
One of the most important aspects of pet writing is to know your audience. Articles that appeal to a specific demographic group will be most successful. Detailed descriptions of breeds, sizes and coat colors of pets are often less interesting to readers than articles about the pets' endearing behaviors or personality traits.
Another major aspect of pet writing is adherence to good journalistic practice. This means that you should always verify information before publishing it and cite all sources in the article. You should also be able to provide basic care tips for your readers. This is especially important if you are writing about a specific type of pet or a particular stage in a pet's life. For example, the care needs of a puppy or kitten will be very different from those of an adult cat or a mature dog. The same applies to the feeding requirements of a specific species or a particular age group of a pet.