Jonathan Van Ness credits his pets for getting him to the happy place he is in life today.
The Queer Eye star gushes over his furry family — which consists of five cats and three dogs — while sitting down for an exclusive chat with OK! in line with Amazon Pet Day.
During the interview, van Ness reflects on just how much his precious animals mean to him, emotionally admitting they truly saved his life.
“Without [my pets], I wouldn’t have been able to… they gave me a reason to live when I was going through such a dark time in my 20s that I just could never repay,” he shares.
van Ness notes: “It’s really been one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done in my life. They’re my family. It’s taught me about love. It’s taught me about grief. It’s taught me about selflessness. It’s taught me about asking for help. It’s taught me about like prioritizing.”
van Ness admittedly wouldn’t be able to have so many pets without his husband, Mark London.
“He helps me so much with them,” the celebrity mentions. “He really has taken most feedings off my hands. He takes care of all the vet stuff for me. So really, I just get to like walk the dogs and play with the dogs and play and cuddle with the cats. He really took all the hard work. I really love him for helping.”
As the co-founder of Yummers — a high-protein, freeze-dried food and meal topper brand — van Ness was already up-to-date with all things Amazon Pet Day, which is why this partnership was the perfect fit.
Plus, as the owner of eight pets, the reality television star couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to stock up and save!
Aside from being a dog and cat dad, van Ness has starred on Queer Eye since the show’s first season aired in 2018.
“It’s completely changed my life so much,” he says of his time on the television series, which gives lifestyle and fashion makeovers to guests. “I mean it’s opened my world to opportunities that are truly beyond my wildest dreams.”
“The thing that makes me the most happy is that to be a part of something that has allowed so many people to find and connect to their own strength and their own resilience,” van Ness adds. “Allowing people to like have a resource to connect to their own strength and grow, especially in a world that is full of so much sadness feels so incredibly rewarding. I hope I get to keep doing it and I hope that people keep watching.”