OK! I admit it. When alone with my cat or a group of foster kittens, I refer to myself as their Mommy. I try not to do that in public lest I be called a conk (cat obsessed, no-kids, Baby Boomer). Don't laugh. I know I'm not alone. A recent survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association found that eighty-three percent of pet owners refer to themselves as their pets' Mommy or Daddy. There are a lot of us conks and donks out there!

Far from being a sign of widespread mental illness, this finding attests to the unique strength of the human-animal bond. Pets offer unconditional love and loyalty. They lower our blood pressure and increase our happiness level. No wonder we pamper them and mortgage our homes to keep them healthy and happy.

The Baby Boom generation may be the first to view their pets as full-fledged members of the family. We jog with our dogs, travel with our cats, and let our pets hog space on our beds. Working people with little spare time keep their dogs active and happy with Doggie Day care. The Pet Sitting business is booming. There are at least a dozen Pet Sitting services in the local area - most of which are booked solid during vacation season. Advances in Veterinary medicine now make it possible to successfully treat pets for ailments that formerly would have cost their lives. And many pet lovers would rather go into debt than see a beloved companion "put down" when treatment is available. Better commercial foods - including organic, additive-free concoctions - are readily available, extending pet's lives. Lots of people provide for the continued care of pets in their wills. Some pet owners take better care of their animals than of themselves.

Changing attitudes of the Baby Boomers can be credited with decreased tolerance for animal cruelty and abuse, too. This generation is more likely to spay or neuter their pets and oppose killing as a way to deal with the problem of pet overpopulation. It is no accident that the people leading the national movement toward a "No-Kill Nation" are Baby Boomers and that this generation's corporate titans (like the founder of PeopleSoft) are donating billions to make it happen.

So, all you closet pet Moms and Dads: Be proud of your status. It is people like you who are on the front lines of making this world a better place for animals!