Best Paw Forward: The Surprising Role Pets Play in Building Community and Literacy Connections
May 30, 2025
For many people in America, furry, feathered, and sometimes scaly friends are a vital part of their family unit. According to Forbes Magazine, 66 percent of US households owned a pet in 2024 — up 10 percent from 56 percent in 1988. Moreover, 78 percent of pet owners acquired them during the pandemic — unsurprising, considering how many families were driven into their homes with Zoom and FaceTime as main conduits to the outside world.