Whether seeking a loyal companion, a source of comfort, or a little extra happiness in their day, people choose pet ownership for a multitude of reasons.
As the trend towards adopting rescue pets gains momentum, attention is drawn to the pressing issues facing pets today, from animal homelessness and neglect to the importance of responsible pet care and welfare.
We asked 1,220 people in the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand about their motivations for pet ownership, their views on the most pressing issues affecting animals and where they believe charities should prioritise their efforts in promoting animal welfare. Here’s what we discovered:
More than ⅔ of pet owners in all 4 countries say that companionship is their primary reason for owning a pet
All 4 countries say that cuddling and petting is their most favourite activity to do with their pet: US (63%), New Zealand (62%), Australia (52%), and the UK (43%)
All pet owners agree that animal cruelty and neglect is the most important issue facing pets today: Kiwis (73%), Americans (72%), Brits (68%), Aussies (65%)
73% of Kiwis will consider adopting a pet from a shelter or rescue organisation in the future, compared to 68% of Americans, 67% Aussies and 63% Brits
¾ of Americans believe rescue and adoption efforts should be a key focus for animal welfare initiatives among charities, compared to about ⅔ of Aussies and Brits who think the same
New Zealanders prioritise spay/neuter programs (65%) and rescue and adoption efforts (65%) as the top two initiatives that animal charities should focus on
The infographic below represents our key findings from the research:
