With their hair and their drool,

their pee and their poo,

they steal our slippers,

eat our wallets,

and knock over our trash cans.

Yet we keep them around,

Why?

With their slobbery kisses,

wagging tails,

and excited jumps,

they are the only creatures

who love someone else

more than they love

themselves.

Be it a long day at work,

news of a tragic loss,

or just feelings of loneliness,

our four-legged companions,

bound into the room,

sense our despair,

and cuddle quietly beside us,

staying with us from the first tear

to the last sob.