Guys! Don't let this week's issue of the Mercury ride out over the horizon before checking out our second annual Pet Issue feature! The adorable illustrations by Susie Ghahremani are reason enough alone to treasure it:

Plus:

In honor of the tightness of our bonds, we explored some of the more extreme paths pet ownership can take, from the pros and cons of adopting wildlife creatures, to a guide on what to do if your pet has a medical emergency. We also went beyond food, water, and poop-scooping to look at next-level pet projects like creating photo stories from your cat's perspective and polishing up your canine (or horse) massage tactics. We also spoke to someone with an extreme animal job working as part of the Humane Society's rescue team, and coughed up a pretty extreme rant about Portland's propensity for pets as trends.