Love Kitty -Forever stamps

2023 Kitten and Puppy Love Series

Celebrate 50 years since the first Love stamp was issued with two new Love stamps, one featuring a kitten and the other a puppy with their front paws resting atop a big heart. The word “LOVE” is featured in all caps behind each animal. The stamp designs were painted with oils on wood panel, then scanned and edited digitally. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with original art by Chris Buzelli.

When it comes to love, there are romantic relationships, platonic friendships, and more.  One of the most fulfilling types of relationship is between us and our animal companions.  This includes dogs, cats, and many others.

Philip Tedeschi, a human-animal connection expert, said our long history of companionship with animals “has resulted in evolutionary continuity and relational familiarity, which leads us to be able to understand each other and increase empathy and emotional sensitivity.”  For example, researchers have found that horses are able to understand human facial expressions and corresponding emotions.  It has also been found that chickens make better companions than previously thought because they enjoy interacting with us and are also easily trained.  Pigs are another traditional farm animal that are more intelligent than we give them credit for.  There are even miniature pigs being bred for use as therapy animals.  They share many qualities with certain dog breeds used for the same purpose.

We have been living alongside animals for thousands of years.  We care for them and even work alongside them.  That has never been more true than it is today.  It’s nice to know that our many animal friends have the ability to care for, and even love, us in return.