February is the month of love, and not just because of Valentine’s Day.
Doting pet owners across the country have been celebrating National Love Your Pet Day, and showing the diversity of the nation’s lovable companions.
While roughly a quarter of people own a dog, making them the most popular choice to keep as a pet, animals from cockatiels to tarantulas have been included.
Whether they have two legs or four, hooves or fins, paws or claws, STV News audiences have been sharing images of their furry (and not so furry) friends.
Having a pet has been proven to reduce anxiety and stress, they often get owners outside exercising and even encourage social interaction in the local parks while out on a walk.
The British Veterinary Nursing Association said: “No matter where you sit on the cats versus dogs (or any other pet) debate, National Love Your Pet Day is for them. Even though they have our attention day in and day out, with all of the love and fuss, we can still treat them to something super special.
“Animals often give us the ‘no-questions asked unconditional love’ that as humans we crave, but there is more to it than just that.”
Here are some of the adorable pets receiving some extra love and recognition.
![Karen Skinner sent this image of her 'three fur babies'.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/0766440d601aa89242e3542e63ebb322-1676926231.jpg)
![Stacey Kerr's six month old cat Buttons.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/1d9c7f1f41b48f6888604946283b7a7e-1676926394.jpg)
![Six-year-old Buddy](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/a3546a1033e9bbf37702d8c476b81fa4-1676926517.jpg)
![Sprocket, a Romanian rescue dog.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/e58fcb34a6a6884d9948f1eb0c8de3e0-1676926643.jpg)
![Shetland sheepdog Charlie, taken at his 'happy place' at Glen Esk in Angus,](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/942a306eaf51c25cba2db36ca929088a-1676926766.jpg)
![Angela Barnett shared a picture of one of her 15 tarantulas.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/5304837b50c18521f3963c4dbd7ce207-1676926939.jpg)
![Benjamin Bunny](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/b3a50593043f698fd20deca1efeb24a1-1676927147.jpg)
![Luna the cat described as 'the grumpy lady of the house'.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/eb22f4d7d66eb11700084ea780b8ccf2-1676927261.jpg)
![Pumpkin and her wind swept look](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/599e0719fb49899fc87c6fae9f446f6e-1676927427.jpg)
![Simon, aka 'Scooby Snacks, found abandoned and given to the SSPCA before being adopted to a loving home.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/0d5efc86800689222dc56441fc058058-1676927836.jpg)
![Ember, an Irish setter turning one-year-old on Friday.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/23988765013a9b5a7b27339d9267503e-1676927976.jpg)
![Bertie the Bearded Dragon.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/76dd1498270d834516a452b0681a50da-1676928101.jpg)
![Blaze the labrador and Zero the tortoise.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/0400928ab2ba842b2e39a3f347d45a25-1676928411.jpg)
![Mila, six-months-old](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/4a8a5f6673e5fc75c800d70569dd2c10-1676928560.jpg)
![The cockatiel is Ozzy](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/25bd6bb8ddb61ad07349001f04ee9b4a-1676928705.jpeg)
![Genghis Corn, the corn snake.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/1710bfa326456c8bef16da8cd21aaac2-1676928866.jpg)
![Odin the dog](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/0942fb10f3526a05f0d534b0219cb745-1676928939.jpeg)
![Charlie, the Working Cocker Spaniel, aged five.](https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/d0da4aa7e7556299dc5b311303c6ef35-1676929963.jpg)
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