We know it’s been a tough year, dear Pandas. But it’s time to start the healing process. And we hope this list, full of animals staring deep into their owners’ souls with love in their eyes, will bring a smile to your face and give you the energy to give it your all this week.

We’ve collected some of the most wholesome photos for you to enjoy from the very wholesome r/Catsmirin and r/DogsMirin subreddits (worth following, definitely), so go on and give each pet a gentle pet by clicking the upvote button next to the pics. Pssst, hey you, yeah you… you’ll find some more soul-gazing pets in Bored Panda's earlier post right over here. Go on, you know you need it in your life. (I gotta tell you that working on this article has done wonders for me!)

You’ll also find Bored Panda’s interview about how social pets are and how they respond to shifts in their owners' moods with the Arizona Humane Society below, so read on to learn something new!

#1 One Time I Got The Rare Double Mire

Image credits: AwkwardBalloonMan

#2 Was Told To Post Rey Cuddling Up With Me On The Couch

Image credits: javawong

#3 Just Rescued My Baby Girl From Being Put Down A Month Ago! Most Loving Dog I’ve Ever Known

Image credits: notmelania

A representative of the Arizona Humane Society explained to Bored Panda that how we, the owners, act and behave can have a significant impact on our pets and their behavior.

“A few studies have found that pets can mirror their owner’s moods and can be sensitive to human’s feelings of stress and anxiety,” the AHS representative detailed that our furry little friends pick up on your body language, tone of voice, and other cues that can indicate our agitation.

#4 She Loves Her Dad

Image credits: rijoys

#5 His Daughter Taught Him How To Take Selfies And This Is What The Result Was

Image credits: TheToxicLogic

#6 Harlee Only Has Eyes For Her Dad, Not His Quesadilla

Image credits: wolfinsocks

However, the pet expert told Bored Panda that we shouldn’t be worried too much about ‘infecting’ animals with our anxiety or feelings of stress. “Pet owners do not need to worry about this particularly, as pets are more of a social support for us just like we are social support for them.”

Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that we can do whatever we like without feeling responsible for our pets. The AHS rep said that we’re still in charge of our pets’ physical and mental healthcare that’s necessary for them to live long and happy lives, full of affection (and, hopefully, soul-piercing stares full of love).

#7 I'm In Love With Theses Eyes

Image credits: reddit.com

#8 How She Looks At My Husband

Image credits: alaelh

#9 Max And I Have Been Together For 17 Years And He Still Tries To Guilt Me Into Feeding Him Early

Image credits: mastodonpizzles

“Giving our pets the physical and mental care they require, along with lots of love and safety will ensure a lifetime of reciprocated love and affection between our four-legged friends and their human family.”

#10 Princess Betty And I Had Almost 16 Years Of Loving Gazes But This Is My Favorite

Image credits: icouldusea-hey-yo

#11 This Kind Stranger Just Wanted To Play, I Obliged Him And He Loved Me For It

Image credits: 613TheEvil

#12 Callisto Mirin My Husband. She Only Has Eyes For Him!

Image credits: callistobear

Earlier, I spoke about bonding between cats and their owners with Dr. Kristyn Vitale from the Human-Animal Interaction Lab at Oregon State University.

"Our research has demonstrated that pet cats can form stable, affectional attachment bonds with their owners,” Dr. Vitale told Bored Panda.

#13 Lolita’s First Night At Home!

Image credits: reva_r

#14 Mirin Daddy

Image credits: we4donald

#15 Charlie Looking Up At Me

Image credits: unicorndanceparty

“The majority of cats have the capacity to use their owner as a source of comfort and security, especially when faced with stressful or unfamiliar situations. Our research has also shown that cats can be very social toward their owners, especially when their owner pays attention to them," Dr. Vitale said.

#16 I Call It “Mutual Mirin”

Image credits: Primary_Purple

#17 Delta Loves Her Dad! This Picture Just Cracks Me Up Haha

Image credits: Honbesdl

#18 Stepdad Was Adamant That We Weren’t Getting A Dog. He Still Calls Her A Gremlin, But I Think Their Love Is Pretty Mutual

Image credits: lializzy

However, there’s still plenty about cat-human bonds that’s still unclear. “Kittens aged 3-8 months and adult cats display secure bonds with their owners. However we don't yet know how long it usually takes for cats to forms bonds with their owners," the expert on animal bonding gave us an example.

#19 Melt My Heart Why Don’t You!

Image credits: ritafirefly

#20 Koji; 12 Weeks Old And Already Mirin. I Love This Little Fellow

Image credits: myapurple

#21 He Turns Me Into A Puddle Every Day

Image credits: abbiemosk

"We do know that at least in kittens, these bonds do not easily change. When we followed up with kittens, 81% of them displayed the same attachment type as they had previously (either secure or insecure). If a kitten was secure the first testing session, they were likely to be secure upon follow-up. Although we don't know how long these bonds take to form, they seem to be relatively stable once established.”

#22 I Originally Posted This On Another Subreddit. Was Told It'd Be A Good Fit Here

Image credits: diggyrex

#23 This Is My Favorite Picture Of Us. She Was My Best Friend

Image credits: Carpedicks

#24 Adopted This Lil Guy A Few Weeks Ago, He Was The Last Of His Litter Adopted Because He Was So Shy. Now He Won’t Leave Me Alone!

Image credits: lovelyflo

According to Dr. Vitale, we can maintain the secure bonds that form with our pets by being receptive to them, especially during situations that are very stressful. “In humans, we know that attachment bonds can be impacted by how the caretaker handles negative experiences. So if you know that a stressful event is going to occur, such as if you are moving or taking the cat to the veterinarian, it is particularly important to remain calm and provide positive attention to your cat. This can help the cat continue to see you as a source of comfort and security."

#25 Abby Mirin Me While I Work

Image credits: showmeyouranklesbaby

#26 My Perfect Girl

Image credits: im-actually-a-cat

#27 We Knew She Was The One When She Started Mirin My Partner When We Visited Her. Getting Her In 1 Week And The Waiting Is Hard To Do!

Image credits: bendygrrl

What’s the bond like between you and your pets, dear Pandas? Do they gaze into your soul with eyes full of love or do they just let you know that they’re hungry? Do you have any gorgeous photos of your pets to share with us and the other Readers? Drop us a line or share a photo in the comment section at the bottom.