Animals need love, too

I know a lot of writers are posting romantic scenes from their novels or WiPs this Valentine's Day, but I'm not. Maybe that's because, in my family, affection is shown daily. Love is shown hourly. We Bromleys are a huggy bunch.

What I want to talk about this Valentine's Day is love for animals. I frequently feature animals in my projects. From a black cat named Tesla to a geriatric schnauzer called Bernadette, I think animals are a great way to show a character's true self. Animals are good judges of characters. You can't BS an animal. They are dependable and forgiving.

When my father was in hospice care at home, my very old husky-wolf mix Belle, who herself was also ill, would not leave his bedside. Many of my blog posts are written with one of my own beloved pugs, Hazel and Josephine, in my lap or curled up against my hip on the couch. Friends of mine on Facebook and Twitter have seen my posts about Hazel's back injury and slow recovery. Animals seek companionship and their loyalty knows no boundaries. It's only fair to give it back to them.

Yesterday, we added two new members to our family. Two young female guinea pigs were surrendered for adoption, and we decided they needed to live with us. Gotham (named for Batman's city) is a little black and white piggy, and Annabelle (from Poe's "Annabel Lee") is a honey-blonde with white patches. This morning, my children came down the stairs from their bedrooms and immediately went to check on our new friends.

On this Valentine's Day, while smooching your SO, make sure you also reach down to give your furry friend a scratch behind the ears, too. Animals might not have as big a heart as humans, but they sure do have a lot of love.

Do you have a story of an animal or pet you'd like to share? Do your characters have pets? What role do animals play in your writing? I'd love to hear it!