An astonishing 93% of Brits now grow up with a pet and four out of five parents believe that the presence of a pet in the home has had a positive impact on their child’s development, from making them more responsible (58%), to improving their behaviour (28%).
The study commissioned by Pets at Home for its annual Pet Report reveals the incredible health benefits a pet has on a child and its family. Owning a family pet means the UK is burning an astonishing 3.4 billion calories a day, helping to prevent obesity. Collectively owners have lost 4.2 million stones in weight in the past 12 months due to their family pet.
The study of more than 4,000 people also found that today’s children are deemed more responsible than their parents, when it comes to helping to care for a pet. Parents are now willing to trust their child with certain aspects of pet ownership at the age of seven and a half, compared to eight and a half 30 years ago.
Despite many perceiving cat ownership to be easier than dog ownership, dogs are still the number one most common family pet, with parents believing dogs bring their children more happiness than cats (54% vs 25%), although dog ownership has declined by a tenth in the past 30 years.
As our family lives get busier, the study has shown there’s been an increase in the ownership of smaller, usually more manageable pets. Goldfish, guinea pigs and hamsters are now more popular than 30 years ago.
The survey also highlighted three quarters of parents (72%) said that owning a pet has improved their child’s anxiety. With two thirds of pet owners who have children with behavioural issues saying that their child has shown an improvement thanks to the support of a pet.
It was revealed that 1 in 10 Brits with kids have noticed a boost in their child’s school work which they believe is down to an animal companion, highlighting the social and behavioural benefits our beloved companions have on our early development.
More than three quarters of parents believe that pet care ownership is so important that it should be taught as part of the national curriculum. In fact over half of the parents surveyed would also like their child to have a furry classmate, but only one in five schools have pets including rabbits, guinea pigs and goldfish.
Brits are now more responsible when it comes to sourcing our family pets, with nearly half (42%) of children’s animals coming from a licensed pet shop.
The study revealed that families are no longer sourcing pets from irresponsible sources, such as fairs, instead focusing on rescue centres, pet shops and well known breeders.
Dr. Maeve Moorcroft, Pets at Home’s Veterinary Advisor, said: “Many people grew up with a pet and some of our earliest, most cherished memories are of spending time with our beloved companions. The report reflects the importance our pets play in our day-to-day lives and the positive impact they have on our development.
“The aim of the report is to show the positive impact pets can have on a child’s development, by teaching them important life lessons.”
The information in the report includes learnings from Pets at Home’s VIP loyalty club, which now has more than three million members, and a series of industry experts in the field of mental health and animal behaviours. This has provided a fascinating insight into the lives of children and their pets.
The full report can be found at petsathome.com/petreport