Love me , love all my pets too

Cherie Wilson has four males in her life who are loyal, fun, affectionate and thrilled to see her every time she walks into a room.

But she wouldn’t mind having a steady boyfriend, too.

The 43-year-old yacht broker wants to find someone who loves pets.

“Seeing a man hold a cat or walking a dog and playing with it, that is so huge to me,” says Wilson, who has two dogs – Sherlock, a Rhodesian ridgeback, and Squire, an Australian cattle dog – and two cats, Monkey and Tigger.

In the fall, Wilson signed up with Animal Attraction.com, a dating Web site and informal community for pet owners. She hasn’t found anyone from her home state of Michigan she wants to meet, but she plans to use the site to find people who share her passion.

“Some things are deal breakers,” says Wilson of her dating preferences. “For me, smoking and non-love of animals would be total deal breakers.”

It’s worth noting that some singles have a love-me, love-my-pet philosophy about potential romantic mates.

As a result, places like dog parks and gourmet dog bakeries have become hangouts for pet owners who want to meet someone special or just socialize with those who understand them.

Picking up on the trend, entrepreneurs have launched several Web dating sites that cater to pet lovers, like the popular DateMyPet.com. The concept makes sense because it focuses on a shared interest that taps into warm emotions.

“It’s a strong bond, a common bond,” says Diane Ingram, owner of the Doggy Deli in Clinton Township, Mich. “Everybody likes to brag about their kids. Four-legged kids.”

AnimalAttraction.com, which started in 2004, was founded by Dan Cohen, a former sports marketer who’s based in Washington, D.C. The site is free to users and earns money through advertising.

Back in 2003, Cohen stumbled on a dog-themed happy hour at a restaurant patio in the nation’s capital. He was struck by the ease and sincerity that emanated from people who’d brought their pets to the event.

“I joked with a friend of mine that we should start renting puppies to single people,” says Cohen, whose own dog, Buddy, is a German shepherd-rottweiler mix.

AnimalAttraction.com has nearly 100,000 members, Cohen says, and is to reach 250,000 this year. On the site, members can post photos, list details about themselves and their pets and offer descriptions of themselves based on what their pets would say.

There also is pet-care information provided by the Humane Society of the United States, and chat rooms and message boards for those who prefer to communicate in a group setting.

Cohen says the site is evolving into a destination for singles and the attached.

“We are gradually transforming from a pretty clear dating site to more of a community,” he says. “Now, one of the things you do in a community is date, so that option is still there.”

For Blakely Slater, 37, a lawyer who has a beagle, Suki, and a mixed-breed cat, Gabby, the site is a place to seek friendships.

“My instant thing was, `Yeah, animal people. This is exactly the type of people I’m looking to be friends with,”’ Slater says.

The pet theme appealed to Brian McGlynn, 35, an engineer who has a black Labrador named Kona.

“To generalize, pet people are a little more stable,” McGlynn says. “Once you get to the 30-35 range, you’re at risk of running into someone with issues. Usually, pet owners are responsible. They’re in charge of keeping at least one person alive.”