Entire movies and TV shows have been created in honor of our pets. They are shown to be loyal, loving, and true, and their deaths are felt as deeply as the passing of a family member of a friend because that's exactly what they become. Just what is it about dogs and cats that make them so well-loved and admired? We talked with long time veterinary practitioner and Martinez Veterinary Clinic owner Dr. Alex R. Martinez to find out more about our furry friends with benefits.

(Photo by Daniel Mohorovic via sxc.hu. Special thanks to Dr. Alex R. Martinez. The Martinez Veterinary Clinic is located at 447 P. Tuazon Street, Project 4, Quezon City, with another branch at 8 Columbus Street, Phase 2, Vista Verde Executive Village, Cainta, Rizal. For appointments and inquiries, call 579-4420, 645-7065, or 0917-8676037. You may also check out the clinic's Facebook page here.)