Revealed: Kisses, Date Nights And Singing Lullabies Are Just Some Of The Way We Show Our PETS Love
• To celebrate National Pet Month, brand new data from UK Pet Food has revealed that over half of us now allow our pets on sofas; a quarter bake their pets birthday cakes and nearly 1 in 5 Brits read their pets stories and sing them to sleep!
• Pet Food experts advise that loving our pets madly also means feeding them wisely, when it comes to the overwhelming diet choices now available to owners.
As we celebrate National Pet Month this April, national trade association UK Pet Food is shining a light on just how much we adore our pets.
A new survey reveals that nearly half (48%) of British pet owners go above and beyond to treat their furry friends like family – kissing them, singing them to sleep, and even taking them on date nights.
There’s no doubt we love our pets madly, almost 1 in 5 (17%) say they have date nights with their pets, with men more likely to do this than women, over half (52%) admit to indulging their pets with special treats, and 35% give their pets massages.
Further to this, over a quarter (31%) of people listen to music with their furry friends, and 19% read their pets stories. 24% of pet owners are incorporating their pets into their routines, taking them to cafes with them, and nearly one fifth (17%) even sing them lullabies to help them to sleep.
With more recognition in UK society that pet ownership is not only something we enjoy, but something that is also good for us, it’s clear our love for animals has never been stronger.
But, while cherishing our pets is a trait Brits should be proud of, UK Pet Food is keen to leverage National Pet Month to help educate the public on how to channel this love wisely with its ‘Love Them Madly, Feed Them Wisely’ campaign, aimed at empowering pet owners to make well-informed choices when it comes to our four legged-friends’ diets.
Celebrity Vet, Cat Henstridge aka ‘Cat The Vet’, who is an ambassador for the campaign said: “There’s no doubt in my mind that as a nation, we love our pets unconditionally and we’re showing this more than ever before. The great news is, with such huge variety and choice of available across the pet food market, we shouldn’t need to make compromises in other areas of life to ensure they are well-nourished and cared for. As long as pet food is labelled ‘complete’, this means it provides all the nutrients your furry friend needs to stay happy and healthy. It’s really important that owners can feel confident and happy about the food choices they make for their pets – no matter what their budget or lifestyle might be”.
UK Pet Food is committed to providing clear and trustworthy guidance to help pet owners feel confident about their choices.
Nicole Paley, Deputy Chief Executive at UK Pet Food, explains: “As this survey shows, in the UK we adore our pets and naturally want to give them the very best. While we welcome choice and diversity in a thriving pet food market, all the feeding and diet options that are now available means navigating supermarket aisles, or shopping online can feel overwhelming at times for pet owners.
“UK Pet Food was established over 50 years ago as an independent body representing the whole pet food industry and offers pet owners impartial advice and information. So, whether a pet eats a traditional kibble, a raw diet or opts for fresh food, owners can be sure to find the advice and reassurance they need on our website and can always reach out to us for additional help and support.”
For more information on UK Pet Food, click here: What We Do & Why | UK Pet Food
Survey conducted by Kantar and Soulor Consulting Ltd.
Media spokespeople are available upon request, including Cat the Vet and representatives from UK Pet Food. To arrange an interview, or for further information, please contact [email protected] or [email protected], or call 0121 812 0250.
All of the % data for attitudes and behaviours given in this release are top two box scores, i.e. the sum of the 4/5 and 5/5 responses. The net sample size for the PR questions was 2,561 of which 1,609 were pet owners (2% margin of error CI95).
UK Pet Food’s mission is to advance pet health and wellbeing with quality nutrition from a sustainable, progressive pet food industry. This includes working with suppliers to develop safe and sustainable pet food, lobbying for the health and welfare of all animals and highlighting the important part our pets play in society.
It is an independent trade association that represents both pet food manufacturers and suppliers, speaking on their behalf to the government, the media, and other stakeholders, as 'the responsible voice of the industry'.
UK Pet Food supports dynamic and responsible UK pet food manufacturing, representing our members’ views and striving to raise standards. Working with our teams of experts, we also provide educational information on pet nutrition and the manufacture of pet food.