VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Katie Romeo’s dog Cali has had a tough go over the past few months.
“She has small cell lymphoma, and it’s taken over her white blood cells,” Romeo explained.
But today, she’s is taking Cali’s mind off of that with a little Valentine’s Day love.
They stopped by Care-A-Lot Pet Supply in Virginia Beach so she could fetch a “paw-tastic” treat.
“She gets a treat for Valentine’s Day, for Easter, for Christmas, for Mother’s Day because she made me a dog mom,” Romeo detailed.
According to the National Retail Federation, pets are catching more than $1 billion in Valentine’s Day gifts this year.
They say about 27% of people are buying for their fur babies, the highest figure in the history of their survey.
“We have all sorts of options from toys, to treats, to these cute little 'hugs and kisses' cookies you can bring home,” Kaitlyn Morse, Care-A-Lot’s Special Events Coordinator, explained.
Friday, we spoke with staff at the store about the holiday.
“Our main thing that has been a really big hit with our pet parents has been our baskets,” Morse said.
"I think a lot of people are looking at their pets as their kids nowadays. I know when I go home, I say, 'hi' to the kids and I move on,” Morse said.
While Cali doesn’t know what Valentine’s Day is, Romeo said she loves celebrating the dog who's given her so much.
“She’s the reason I get out of there when I’m sick,” Romeo told News 3.
