My husband and I don’t have children, but we consider ourselves parents.

Our pets are our “kids.”

Zeke, Buck, Tank, Bilbo, Timmy, Cocoa, Scooter, Izzy and Willow - two dogs, a cat, four goats and two miniature donkeys - depend on my husband and me for their every need. Doesn’t that make us parents?

Though we are the minority in our circle of friends, we’re part of a growing number of couples choosing pets to fulfill their nurturing needs.

Sixty-one percent of households across the nation include pets, while just 39 percent have children, says a 2007-08 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

So, my husband and I are not that unusual. There are many couples, married or not, who have chosen to parent pets over children.

Pure Joy From Pets
The reasons vary.

Pet parenting can be a warm-up to the commitment and responsibilities necessary for rearing children. But many get pure joy from the relationship they have with their pets.

“We can’t imagine life without her,” says Richard DeBow of Riverview. He and his wife, Sheila, consider Rhiannon, their 11-year old Labrador, their child.

“When people ask us if we have any children, we tell them, ‘Yes, a four-legged one,’” Richard says.

The DeBows call themselves “Mommy” and “Daddy” when they speak to Rhiannon.

Certainly the commitment level, responsibility and love for children is different for that of pets - although some pet owners may argue with you on that point.

Choosing to share your life with animal companions versus children has some inherent benefits, couples I interviewed say.

“They’re more self-sufficient than a child,” says Debi Moore of Tampa.

She and boyfriend enjoy the ability to travel together frequently, without the “kids.” They simply make arrangements for someone to watch over their five cats, Pinot Noir, Fortune, Rockus, Classik and Noggin.

Another advantage? “They never talk back,” Moore says.

Sarah Howard and her husband live in Tampa’s Seminole Heights neighborhood with their Catahoula leopard hound, Bayou.

“Pets don’t create as much drama as kids,” Howard says.

Bayou sometimes acts like a child, but he also protects the house and provides constant companionship and security.

“As a parent, you have to always protect your child, but pets are the ones that look out for you,” Howard points out.

But are we pet parents missing out on a love that can only be experienced through child-rearing?

Perhaps.

Then again, what we don’t know, we can’t miss - and what we do know, we cherish.

“She licks my whole head when I get home from work,” beams Richard DeBow. “That’s what I have waiting for me each day.”

Rhiannon also snuggles in bed and provides comfort if he or his wife are feeling down, he says.

As voluntarily childless couples with pets, we will miss out on joyous occasions such as seeing our children graduate, get married or have children. But like traditional parents, pet parents enjoy making their children happy and watching them have fun.

Camaraderie Shared
There’s also a similar level of camaraderie among pet-only parents that is shared by their child-rearing counterparts.

The Howards regularly socialize with friends who are also childless.

“We talk about our pets just like couples do about their kids,” boasts Howard. “We compare stories and behavior issues - isn’t that what most parents do?”

There are other parallels.

Children and animals both will “test you,” so you need to set limits and be consistent in reinforcing good behavior.

And, both animals and children understand the concept of “timeout.”

Pets and children also can be finicky about food, and both need love, attention and stimulation to have healthy lives.

One sad fact about pet parenting is that our animal companions are only with us for a short time - typically 10 to 15 years.

But during that time, they do satisfy our need to nurture and protect and to love something that is uniquely part of “us” - even if not biologically.

Clearly, the responsibilities for raising a child are greater than those of parenting a pet, but both kinds of parents can be proud of their “children’s” accomplishments.

So, please do tell me about your child’s perfect math score, most recent athletic award or other big accomplishment.

But remember, I may have stories I would like to share about my pet kids, too.

CRITTER CALENDAR
Polk SPCA Spring Adoptathon

The Polk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will have pets available for adoption from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 5 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 6.

The SPCA will be at the following locations during these times: PetSmart, 1051 W. Brandon Blvd., Brandon; PetSmart, 11331 Causeway Blvd., Brandon; and Petco, 4139 U.S. 98 N., Lakeland.

For details, call (863) 646-7722 or go to http://www.lovemyspca .com.

Kristen Levine can be reached at Fetching Communications, P.O. Box 222, Tarpon Springs FL 34688; fax (727) 934-6451; or e-mail .