Pampered pets

We may have long been a nation of cat and dog lovers, but the extent to which we’re going to incorporate our beloved pets into our everyday lives has now never been more extreme. Some owners are even going as far as having their pets baptised, or including them in their will according to new research.

The study, which has been commissioned by MORE TH>N, shows the lengths owners are going for their pets.

Beyond revealing some of the more common ways we are guilty of pampering our pets, with over half of owners (53%) admitting they let their pet sleep in their own bed, and 63% confessing that they regularly feed them human-food, the study also uncovered some more unusual trends.

Among these findings were that one in five (20%) would consider including their pet in their wedding day, while 18% confessed they would consider leaving them as a beneficiary in their will.

Owners have set up a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page for their dog or cat, with each of these accounts having an average of 177 followers.

A whopping 89% of owners said they buy their cat or dog a Christmas present each year, with 12% spending upwards of £50 on the gift. Almost half (45%) also admitted that they celebrate their pet’s birthday.

The most popular ways of doing this included giving them a present, a cake (33%) or even throwing them a birthday party.

Furthermore, no expense appears to be being spared when it comes to ensuring pets look their finest throughout the year, with 21% of owners spending upwards of £200 on having their dog groomed over a 12-month period.