Pet census results are in

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.

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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.