The British love affair with pets shows no signs of slowing down. A recent survey* of 2,000 UK cat and dog owners conducted by global pet product expert, PetSafe®, has highlighted that the strong bond between pet owners and four legged friends is stronger than ever.
The survey revealed that almost five out of ten people (45%) said their cat or dog was more valuable to them than their house, car, jewellery or any other material possessions. 40% said they treasured them higher than most things they own.
Firmly placed at the heart of family life, the survey found that pets are widely regarded as family members - particularly by women - with nine out of ten women (91%), saying they are “one of the family”; for men, the figure was eight out of ten (80%). When asked, “How much do you love your pet?” over half the women quizzed (63%) gave the maximum scores (9/10 and 10 /10) and 40% of men gave the same responses.
Pet owners are also keen to make sure their pets have their fair share of creature comforts – even sharing their bed with them to make them cosy. One in five pet owners said they sleep with a pet every night and 60% said they often slept with their pets.
Trust and unconditional love for pets prompted a quarter of pet owners to describe them as “my best friend”. The figure was even higher for young people, with a third of 18 to 25 year olds surveyed admitting that their pets are their best buddies.
A feel-good factor associated with pet ownership came across strongly in the survey. Almost 85% of people polled said having a cat or dog improves their quality of their life and overall health and wellbeing.
Making time to play with pets was also felt to be important. Despite busy lifestyles, pet owners are very generous with their time – often spending longer with pets than other family members. One in 15 people spent at least three to five hours a day playing with their cats or dogs. Over half the people (50%) spent between one to three hours playing with them. Only one in 20 spent less than half an hour playing with pets.
Angela Critchley, International Marketing Director at PetSafe, said: “It’s heartening to see how pets continue to enrich our lives and how, as a nation, we are devoted to them and enjoy spending our free time with them. The survey shows overwhelmingly that our love for them is unconditional and it’s important that we continue to value them and care for them to strengthen the bond.”
*Survey conducted by OnePoll in June 2014 with 1,000 cat owners and 1.000 dog owners interviewed.
