Pride in Our Pets: Why the Bond Between LGBTQ+ People and Their Animals Runs So Deep

By Chris Luna, J.D., SPCA of Texas President & CEO

Let me tell you something I hear often from the people who walk through our doors at the SPCA of Texas, and something I have felt myself.

There is a particular kind of love that a pet offers. It does not come with conditions. It does not come with questions. It does not shift based on who you are, who you love, or how you identify. It just shows up, every single day, steady and sure and completely, beautifully uncomplicated.

For many people in the LGBTQ+ community, that kind of love is not just wonderful. It is necessary.

Across North Texas, LGBTQ+ households include pets at a rate of 65%, according to Psychology Today, and that number reflects something deeper than a preference for animal companionship. For many of us, pets are not accessories or hobbies. They are family. Chosen, cherished, and fully ours.

I have heard it described so many different ways by so many different people. But the heart of it is always the same.

One of our own SPCA of Texas team members put it this way: “My pets have been with me through my gender exploration. Looking back at old photos of us together is like a transition timeline. That steady, uncensored companionship let me breathe while I tried to sort out something complicated inside.” Another shared something that has stayed with me: “I didn’t always have the words for what I was feeling about myself, but I knew that with animals, I could just be. They didn’t ask me to explain. They didn’t judge.”

And then there is this, from a colleague who grew up in a household that was anything but safe: “The truth is, animals gave me belonging before humans ever did. They loved me without conditions, without confusion, without questions about gender or sexuality. They saw me. They kept me alive long enough for me to see myself.”

I do not share these words lightly. I share them because they are real, and because they deserve to be heard.

The mental health benefits of pet ownership are well documented. Interacting with animals reduces stress, increases feelings of connection, and provides the kind of daily structure that can be profoundly grounding. Research shows that 91% of LGBTQ+ pet owners say their pets contribute positively to their mental health. In a community that continues to navigate anxiety, depression, and the very real weight of minority stress, that daily comfort is not a small thing. It is significant.

Pets also open doors in quieter ways. A walk in the neighborhood, a trip to the dog park, a chat at the vet’s office—animals have a way of creating low-pressure social connections that can mean the world to someone who is new to a city or still finding their people. Nearly 37% of LGBTQ+ pet owners say their pet helped them make new friends. I believe it. I have seen it happen.

There is also something I think about often when it comes to the intersection of our community and animal welfare. So many of us have built our families intentionally—thoughtfully, with care and purpose, choosing the people and the circumstances that allow us to thrive. Adopting or fostering a shelter animal—an animal that has known abandonment, instability, or uncertainty—is an act that reflects exactly those same values. Compassion. Second chances. The belief that a safe and loving home changes everything.

That is what the SPCA of Texas is built on. And it is why we are deeply committed to being an organization where every person, regardless of who they are or who they love, feels genuinely welcome.

We are proud to have received the Dallas Voice Readers Award for Best Adoption Organization several years running. We are proud of our diverse and representative team. We are proud of our active LGBTQ+ Advisory Council, formed to help guide our outreach and inclusion work. And we are proud that our Dallas Animal Care Center features Pride-branded retail items. Because visibility matters, and belonging should never have to be assumed.

Pride, for us, is not a month. It is a practice every day. It is the daily work of showing up authentically, creating spaces where people feel seen, and building a community where both people and animals can thrive.

If you are considering adding a pet to your life, I hope you will think about adopting or fostering. And I hope you will find your way to us. We would love to meet you, and to help you find the companion who will love you exactly as you are.

Because that is what they do. Every single day, in the most ordinary and extraordinary ways.

And right now, more than ever, that matters.