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I'll even put on the dog whisper.

Ugh. People, it's an animal and we're in the midst of an energy crisis. I'm sure Fido will get over the loss of Judge Judy.

Think of it as potentially saving a bunch of OTHER animals who won't have their habitats drilled to feed our energy addiction.

I only leave a light on if I know I'm going to be gone past dark, and even then it's just one low-energy light in an area I know they're likely to hang around.

No way! TV will rot their brains!

I answered yes, but I actually only leave a light on if I'm going to be gone in the evening and I don't want her sleeping the whole time I'm away and then keeping me up all night when I get home.

If I am going to be out at night, I leave a light on in the room where my dogs man cave is. I also turn on the tv to XM radio The Loft. It not only provides some ambient noise for him but makes it look like someone is home.

My dog's comfort and the safety of my home is worth far more than the friggin energy crisis.

I leave my tv and one light on when I'm gone at night or if I know I will be gone a while, just to make it look like someone is home, but I generally try not to just because I don't want something getting knocked over, breaking, and still being live. My cats I think are happier without the TV or radio on...Dakota will actually retreat to the bedroom when she gets annoyed with all the noise

When we leave I pull one of the shades up so the cats can watch the birds (we live in a high rise) and no lights. They're cats. Their night vision is better without the help of Edison.

I also answered "Has anyone seen my pet? Hello?" Because the above-mentioned cats are the kind to race to the door when you walk through, give us the equivalent look of "Oh. It's just you" and then return to whatever they were doing before. Which is generally sleeping somewhere.

I have a friend who's got a chihuahua and she leaves the radio on for him because otherwise he barks at every little noise he hears. And she lives in a an apartment complex where that would be complained about.

I should have prefaced that with the face that I rarely leave my dog at home by himself. He's actually pretty spoiled. I drop him off at my parents every morning, so he can hang out with their Great Dane. They live close by.

I've come home to find my dogs on the sofa and recliner watching the TV so I assume they enjoy this. I've also returned to find both dogs seated in dining room chairs with their three kitties on top of the table. I have no idea what they were talking about - I hate it when I walk into a room and they clam up, makes me feel shut out from their lives...sigh.

I have a friend who lives in a small apartment, his dog, George stays in his play pen during the day. The pen is next to a TV which is left on VH1 for George to watch during the day. Apparently, he loves Flavor of Love.

OK, so I'm not so sure I'd leave MY dog in a play pen and in front of a TV all day but his owner works loooooong days and is convince it helps George to not feel lonely!

p.s. I sound end in saying George is a very, very happy dog.

MoJonson and Vincent B. - funny!

While I love my cat more than anything, she's a cat. She isn't going to watch TV! I agree with a previous comment - what a waste of electricity! I've witnessed what she does all day, and it's sleeping. When I'm actually at home on a weekday, she gives me a look like, what are you still doing here?

Now, like a previous commenter, I do leave the blinds partially open in case she wants to watch the birds flit around the tree outside.

Maybe it's different for dogs!

We have a Parrot, so we leave npr on for him when we're out. It makes for better conversation if he's well informed.

My cat loves music, so I just leave the clock radio running in the morning when I go out. Plays 'till the end of the (mp3) CD, about 4 hours or so.

I am with Sparkiy- NPR for my pets. Lights only when I am going out in the evening, ususally the energy efficients in the kitchen.

None of the above.

My dog happily sleeps at the front door while I'm gone - no lights, TV, or radio.

And I ignore him for the first couple of minutes when I come back until he's mellow, then he gets the attention. It keeps him from bouncing around like a madman whenever someone comes through the door.

During the day nothing is left on, when we go out of town for the weekend we'll leave the lights on. Whenever my dad left for extended periods of time he would put animal planet on for his cat, but I don't think she cared.

Yep, we too have parrots, and most of the time someone is home... but for the moments we go out together or any of us leave the house when the other isn't home, we'll leave the TV on for them... usually cartoons, but I wouldn't call it an all day event at all. About the lights though, we don't leave 'em on since they go to bed at 8pm.

My poor little dog gets nervous if there's a heated discussion on a talk show! So no, no tv for him! The cat used to watch tv with me when she was a kitten, she'd try and play with the movement on the screen, but she's outgrown such things. :-(

I have two dogs who are alone at home when I go in to work (I work at home also). During the day I have the blinds open, so there is plenty of natural light and no need of lamps. I do leave the television turned on for them - they are much calmer when I come home when the t.v. has been left on, than they are when it is turned off. I think it drowns out some of the street noise that would otherwise have set them off on extended barking jags. There really is a noticeable difference in their behavior without the t.v.

At night, I tend to leave the living room light on because I don't like coming into a dark house. I also want to see clearly where the dogs are when I enter the house without having to fumble for the light switch.

I used to leave CNN on for them (one dog, 3 cats) until I saw Glen Beck's show. No creature should be subjected to that.

We leave the radio on when we're at work. It's the only thing that keeps him from howling, which the managers fine $25 for each instance.

I rescued my dog from a failed kennel, and he had never seen a TV. When I first got him, he tried to attack every talking head, but now he seems not to recognize images in any way, even barking dogs. This is a prelude to saying that Sarah Palin's acceptance speech riveted him to the TV. I mean riveted. He sat up straight (rare in itself) with his ears cocked forward and would not be diverted! And since then, we're back to no recognition or attention at all. Would somebody like to tell me what that's all about?

How does unplugging the stuff in your house prevent the kitchen sink faucet from being turned on?

I leave the TV and lights on if it is storming out because my mutt hates lightning and thunder and that will help keep her calm. Otherwise I think they enjoy reading and conversation during the day while I'm at work!

I don't leave the TV on, as that's a major waste of energy, but I'll put on the radio/cd player for background noise and leave a couple of lights on. The dog is rarely left alone for longer than 5 hours, but the cat has spent a weekend by himself, not that he seemed to mind overly much. I had a neighbour pop in to top up his food and water.

until kaiser (the cat) and juniper (the hound) start paying the bills. . they can chill in the dark! they're eco like that. . .

I used to feel guilty, but then I took a sick day and realized that while I'm gone, all they do is sleep!

I occasionally (every month or so) leave my cat to fend for himself overnight. I obviously leave large quantities of food and water for him but no lights or the TV. I figure his eyesight is better than mine so he should be fine without a lamp on. And besides, he's pretty talented at unplugging things when he runs around.

I leave the TV on if I'm leaving the room and going to a room the dogs aren't allowed. It seems if they think I'm returning vs. if I go through the motions of making the departure more permanent (turning of the TV, clearing away a cup etc.) that they won't bark or whine as much for me. I don't do it when I leave the house though since the act of putting on a coat and closing the door makes it clear to them and they're not tricked.

Please - leave a radio on or the TV. It's only fair. These are not toys that you turn off and leave on a shelf until you return. The voices are comfort to them.

I will only leave the lights on if I know I'm going to be home after dark. I'll usually leave the radio on, mainly for the dog, the cat could care less about the radio or the lights. The dog is somewhat comforted with some noise around the house.

We never leave our dog in the dark. My dad even goes so far as to leave cartoons on for the little pup!

My cat does watch TV (dog competitions and nature shows are her favorites) - its kind of freaky and she's super smart.... I don't leave the TV on when I'm not at home though. I make sure we leave plenty of bird seed at the feeder for "live" nature shows fromt the window.

I have two cats... they entertain each other. And I leave the blinds up so they can birdwatch (and dogwatch and peoplewatch.)

But I suspect they sleep most of the day like mally's. I was home sick for a few days last month and mostly they just konked out around me. Once in a while they'd pick up and move somewhere else to sleep or gaze out the windows.

If you're going to work long days, I really really reccomend having two pets... especially for dogs, who are pack animals. It's really saved my ankles because my kitties wrestle with each other instead of my feet. Vet bills are higher but just about every other aspect of care is the same or easier.

aulaire- he must have been upset with the idea of lipstick on a pitbull... either that or it was the attack rhetoric (maybe?)

I think that a window to look out is way better that television for an animal...dogs and cats have entertained themselves for ages without the "luxury" of televison. My dog is thrilled to sleep away the day in the living room with intermittent window watching perched on the chair by the window.

If I'm going to be out past dark, I'll leave the fluorescent lights on in the kitchen for the dog, so I answered yes, but not the tv. Although when my littlest was a puppy, I would leave the radio on too.

jick: LOL, I was obviously not trying to say the sink is plugged in, but that we carefully turn off anything that could be accidentally (or mischievously) turned on by the cats while we're away, including the faucet, plugged-in items, and just about anything else that could cause damage.

Aulaire-
Maybe he saw the pic of her dead-animal office decor.

Aulaire - he obviously has the ability to identify pure evil.

As much as I love my cats--- wishing for their comfort and happiness while I’m away, I most certainly would NOT leave electrical lights or appliances on all day just for them (my ethical hang-ups over energy concerns cause me more guilt than the possible boredom of my pets) --- especially as I happen to know that they hibernate as little fur balls all day saving up their energy to run around like maniacs when I get home...

I leave the radio on and tuned to the local NPR station. Both my dogs have told me they really like Terry Gross and Fresh Air is their favorite show ;-)

If I had more than one cat or dog then no I wouldn't leave the t.v. on as they can comfort each other. But if it's just one cat at home or one dog at home, I'll leave the t.v. on (like if I'm gone for a weekend...not just a day.)

My old cat used to watch t.v. so it seemed nice to let him watch it while we were gone.

I leave one lamp on if it's dark. It's not just for them, I don't like coming home to a completely dark house.

My daughter and I used to leave Animal Planet on for the dogs, but then we came home one evening to find them traumatized -- the emergency vet show had been on. After that, we switched to NPR.

Ha ha ha ha ha! I knew I'd trolled for some funny comments when I told about Wolsey and Palin! I can't wait to see what he does with the first veep debate.

If I'm paying for the electricity I can leave my dog with Judge Judy anytime I want. I leave it on Animal Planet most of the time or Channel 11 cause it has the news in the morning then the crazy talk shows to keep my doggie and bunny happy. The turtle cares less.

I leave my radio on with either NPR or classical music on for my two miniature dachshunds...I used to leave my TV on for them while I was away for the day when I had a junky, old TV set but, since I replaced it with a great big flatscreen, I don't because my mom has me paranoid about wearing it out if I leave it on all day (especially not worth it since the dogs hang out in the kitchen during the day, where they can hear but not SEE the TV).

I leave for work early and get home early, so unless it's winter, I just leave my porch light on. Otherwise, I keep a light on a timer.