Last month we surveyed pet parents to discover the roles that our hearts and heads play in the planning and preparation for a new pet – and the results are heartwarming. Interested? Keep reading to find out more.
Dog lovers came out on top as the most prepared pet parents, as 63% revealed that they planned for their new pet for at least three months, 25% of which spent more than a year preparing for their new arrival!
Cat owners, on average, spent less than three months planning for their feline friends, whilst almost 30% of rabbit, guinea pig and hamster owners were led by their hearts and made the decision in less than 30 days.
Many pet parents were quick to point out that pets are part of the family, so we delved deeper into the day-to-day care of our fur families to discover how responsible pet owners deal with unexpected sick days.
Surprisingly, cat owners were revealed as the most likely to stay at home with their sick pets, with 73% taking time off work to look after their moggies and one in four admitting to pulling sickies! This is compared to 69% of dog owners who have taken time off work when their pooch was feeling under the weather.
When asked about the planning process, 57% of those surveyed revealed that affordability was their biggest concern for any type of pet and 51% were worried about the long-term commitment.
After welcoming their four-legged family member, 86% of those concerned about costs identified vet bills as the biggest struggle and have even warned other owners to insure their pets.
Finally, we asked owners to share their expert tips on ‘winning’ at pet parenting and here’s what they said:
“You should be prepared to give your pet a lifelong home and understand that you may have to compromise on certain aspects of your life.”
“Remember, a pet needs just as much care and attention as a child needs.”
“Do your research and question whether you are prepared to commit to looking after a pet for it's entire life.”
“Prepare as much as possible - ask your friends about their pets, research the cost of raising them, as well as the needs that they may have and how different pets are better for certain stages of family life.”
“Do not jump into it. Read up on different types of pets and get plenty of advice. A pet is part of the family and are no different to children, so if there’s even a 1% chance that you can't offer a pet a loving and caring home, then don't get one.”
“Beware, they will steal your heart!”
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