New Pet Census results

Move over men! British women think pets are the cat’s whiskers, according to the results of the first national Pet Census, published today by The Blue Cross pet charity.

The census results show that women are more likely to own a pet and that more are turning to their pets for affection, with over a fifth of female pet owners, 22 per cent, saying the reason they got their pet was for companionship and love. A quarter of women questioned also allow their pets to sleep with them in the bedroom.

And while we may claim to be a nation of animal lovers, the owners’ relationships with their pets could all depend on where we live.

Regional findings reveal that Londoners are the least pet friendly, with 35 per cent owning a pet, compared with 58 per cent in the South West, the most pet friendly region. East Anglians are least likely to get sentimental over their pets, with only 16 per cent getting their pets for love and companionship, compared with nearly three in ten Scottish owners, the highest scoring region.

Other results indicate that the majority of pets are given human names and the main concern for owners is their pets’ weight. Just under half of the population own a pet and that cat and dog ownership is level, with 22 per cent of owners questioned owning cats and another 22 per cent, dogs. Bizarrely, five people questioned said they knew they owned a pet but did not know what species it was.

The Blue Cross Pet Census 2005 is the first national survey of its kind compiled by the charity and is part of its ongoing work in understanding the human-animal bond.

Notes to editors
Other census results show that:

• despite dog ownership also being lowest in the capital, the highest percentage of Staffordshire bull terriers are owned by Londoners than any other region
• pet owners in the East Midlands are twice as likely to take in a stray animal as a pet, than any other region in the Britain with the exception of Wales
• pet owners in the North West are the most likely, 21 per cent, to get their pets from a rescue centre like The Blue Cross than any other UK region
• behavioural problems were the most common in the North, followed by the new pet not suiting the owner’s lifestyle
• of Scotland’s pampered pets, 32 per cent, the highest percentage nationally, are allowed to sleep with them owners in their bedrooms and the majority are also given human names
• cat ownership is most popular in the South East, with 25 per cent questioned owning cats
• of the pets owned, fish and cat ownership is most popular in the South West, with over 25 per cent questioned owning cats
• dog ownership is most popular in Wales, with 31 per cent of region’s adults owning a dog
• 79 per cent of the region’s pet owners experienced no unexpected problems when they first got their pet
• owners in Yorkshire & Humberside are the least likely, 14 per cent compared with an average of 24 per cent, to allow their pets to sleep with them in the bedroom

The Blue Cross is Britain's pet charity, providing practical support, information and advice for pet and horse owners. Through its network of animal adoption centres it rehomes thousands of animals each year. Its hospitals provide veterinary care for the pets of people who cannot afford private vets' fees.

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