One in three (33%) British households own a dog, making it the nation's favourite pet, reveals the Mintel report.
Cat ownership comes in a close second (31%) while fish (17%) complete the list of Britain’s top three pets.
Small mammals such as guinea pigs, rabbits and mice are found in 10% of homes, while one in 20 (5%) households own a caged bird.
Mintel’s research finds the North West is Britain’s number one region for pet ownership. Indeed, today some 71% of consumers living in the North West own a pet compared to a national average of 63%.
When it comes to our four legged friends, dog ownership peaks in the North, North West and Scotland, with almost four in ten (38%) households owning one.
This compares to just 29% of households in the South East and East Anglia. Meanwhile, those living in the South West and Wales (38%) are the biggest cat lovers, with those in the North and Scotland having the lowest feline ownership at 28%.
Overall, medium sized dogs (including Labradors, Spaniels and Staffordshire Bull Terriers) dominate Britain’s dog households, making up half (51%) of all Britain’s dogs. The next most popular dog size is small dogs (36%) - including Jack Russells, Dachshunds and Yorkshire Terriers.
Meanwhile, 14% of owners have a large dog such as an Alsatian, Old English Sheepdog and Husky. Just 5% of Britain’s dogs are extra small breeds - such as Pugs and Chihuahuas. Regionally, those living in the North West, Yorkshire, Humberside and the North and Scotland are most likely to own a small dog (40%), while medium dogs are most likely to be found in Inner and Greater London/South East/East Anglia (52%).
Despite the economic climate, pet toys recorded a 1.3% growth in value sales from 2011-12 to reach £76 million and were bought by over half (53%) of pet owners in 2012. Showing just how cherished the nation’s pets are, as many as one in five (19%) pet owners buy Christmas stockings for their pets. Finally, when it comes to playtime, it seems dogs have the upper paw as, today, over two thirds (67%) of dog owners bought toys in 2012, which is notably more than the 54% of cat owners.
