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americans love pets. and it s not just puppy love， either. many pet owners treat their furry friends as part of the family. sometimes they spice up their pets lives with entertaining videos and amusing toys. if they have an eye for fashion， pet owners can dress their pets in stylish clothes. for special occasions， they can use canine perfume to make their dogs smell well. you might say americans treat their pets like they treat their children-sometimes even better. there are more households with pets than those with children in america. at least 43 percent of u.s. homes have pets of some sort. exotic creatures， such as monkeys， snakes and even wolves， find a home with some americans. more common pets include tropical fish， mice and birds. but the all-time favorites are cats and dogs， even at the white house. the bushes dog， spot， has replaced the clintons cat， socks， as reigning first pet. americans sometimes have strong feelings about whether dogs or cats make better pets. "dog people" and "cat people" often enjoy friendly rivalries. beneath the furry luxuries， there lies a basic american belief： pets have a right to be treated well. at least 75 animal welfare organizations exist in america. these provide care and adoption services for homeless and abused animals. veterinarians can give animals an incredible level of medical care for an incredible price. to pay for the high-tech health care， people can buy health insurance for their pets. and when it s time to say good-bye， owners can bury their pets in a respectable pet cemetery. | 
