There’s no denying that the UK is a pet obsessed nation. For many pet owners, our four-legged friends aren’t just treated as companions, but as part of the family as well. From purchasing designer clothing to the flashing lights of a pet-inspired photo shoot, it’s only the best when it comes to our pets
In many households across the country, debates are often had as to whether or not boundaries should be put in place when it comes to our furry friends. Whether it’s feeding the dog the occasional piece of food off your plate, or allowing them to share your bed to ensure a more comfortable sleep, we wanted to discover as a nation just how much we really do love our pets.
To uncover this in more detail, we created a survey which asked 1,000 UK pet owners a host of questions.
When you arrive home, do you greet your pet or partner first?
It’s a habit which probably hasn’t crossed many pet owners’ minds, but now it has arisen, who do you greet first? According to our survey, greeting your partner first comes out on top, but only by a small margin. Our survey reveals that 52% of respondents greet their partner first, with 48% favouring their pet first.
Have you ever shared food with your pet?
You might assume that sharing food with pets is where many people draw the line, but in fact, this isn’t the case. A surprising 60% of people we surveyed revealed they have shared food with their pet, compared to only 40% who said they haven’t. These results alone go to show just how much our pets really do mean to some people.
Does your pet have its own space on the sofa or armchair?
It’s more than likely that the majority of people would allow their pets to reside on items of furniture. Although this is the case for many pets across the UK, how many of them have their own space on the sofa bed, sofa or armchair? Over 57% of people we surveyed said their pet does have its own space, showing that some pets really are treated more like a human than an animal. However, if you’re a homeowner who is afraid of letting your furry friend up on the furniture, just in case they leave a muddy trail of destruction; there are plenty of stain resistant, pet-friendly fabrics that you can choose from too.
Do you ever tuck your pet into the bed before you go to sleep?
To some people, tucking a pet into bed may sound rather peculiar; however, our survey shows this is actually quite common. Over 40% of respondents said they do tuck their pet into bed. This isn’t favoured by all pet owners though, as just over 59% of people said they don’t do this.
Would you rather share your bed with your pet or your partner?
Within many UK homes there are huge debates as to whether or not pets should be allowed in the bed, never mind if the owner would rather share the bed with their pet or partner. The majority of respondents to our poll revealed they prefer sharing a bed with their partner, with just over 75% saying this. It may still be surprising to discover that over 24% of respondents admitted to preferring to share their bed with their pet.
The survey results we’ve mentioned provide us with a glimpse into how people across the UK treat their pets. We want to know how your home habits fare when it comes to your four-legged friends. Let us know on social using #UKHomeHabits and tag @WillowandHall.
Willow & Hall
