A single friend of mine tells me that his marriage-minded dates are often quite impressed by the fact that he has a dog. This, they reason, is proof positive that he is kind, loving and responsible - all important traits in a potential husband and father. I can kind of follow that logic when it comes to choosing a mate, but what about a president?

Apparently, pet owners are partial to pet-owning candidates, if only slightly. According to an AP-Yahoo News poll, 42 percent of people who own pets think McCain is their man, compared to 37 percent who favor Obama. For petless voters, Obama has a clear lead. McCain has two dogs, two turtles, a cat, a ferret, three parakeets and a tank full of fish. Obama has no pets.

"I think a person who owns a pet is a more compassionate person -- caring, giving, trustworthy. I like pet owners," Janet Taylor of Plymouth, Mass., explains.

I like pet owners, too. In fact, I have a small zoo of my own running around my house at this very moment. But before I go choosing a president based on whether or not he shares his home with pets, I want to know a little something about those pets. My single friend with the dog? If his husband-hunting dates knew the dog was neurotic, needy and prone to peeing himself for no good reason, I doubt they would they be so impressed.