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British people spend £43 million (US$65 million) more on treating their dogs than their partners, according to new research by More Th>n pet insurance.
Research shows dog owners spend an average of £21.63 (US$32.73) on gifts and treats to celebrate a special occasion for their dog, with one in 10 willing to spend as much as £50 (US$75.7) on their pet.
However, those surveyed said they would not be willing to spend more than £15.52 (US$23.49) to treat their partners for the same special occasions. Additionally, 38 percent of those surveyed said they prefer to spend time with their dogs than their partners.
The nearly 8 million dog owners in the UK spend an average of £152.3 million (US$230.5 million) per year on gifts and treats for their dogs, compared to the £109.2 million (US$165.3 million) spent on their significant others.
“For millions of people, dogs aren’t seen as just animals but as faithful companions at the heart of the home. It’s therefore not surprising to see that people are prepared to splash the cash when it comes to their four-legged friends,” said John Ellenger of More Th>n pet insurance.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool in the UK recently conducted a study to determine the effect of weight loss on obese dogs.
The study enrolled 50 obese dogs of various breeds and genders at the University's Royal Canin Weight Management Clinic. Prior to the attempted weight loss, dog owners completed a questionnaire on categories such as activity, pain, aggression, sociability, anxiety, happiness, mobility and enthusiasm. The weight loss program involved feeding the dogs either a high-protein, high-fiber dog food or a high-protein, moderate-fiber food, along with making changes in exercise. To determine the amount of food to give to each dog, the investigators estimated the maintenance energy requirement using target weight and factors such as gender and presence of associated diseases.
During the course of the study, 30 of the dogs reached their target, with an average weight-loss percentage of 24.4% of their starting weight. Following the study, owners again completed a questionnaire, from which results were evaluated based on the dogs' vitality, emotional disturbance and pain. The study found that all of the dogs that lost weight experienced an improvement in quality of life, as judged by improvements in vitality scores and lower scores for emotional disturbance and pain. Dogs that did not attain their ideal weight after the survey had lower vitality scores and higher emotional disturbance scores.
“This research indicates that, for obese dogs, weight loss can be important for staying both healthy and happy,” said Dr. Alexander German from the University of Liverpool. “Obesity is a risk for many dogs, affecting not only their health, but also their quality of life."
Britain's 26 million pet owners spend roughly £15 billion (US$24.7 billion) per year on their pets, an average of £11.04 (US$18.19) per pet per week, according to a recent survey. But the economic downturn has owners trying to find ways to cut costs.
According to the survey, 500,000 pet owners can no longer afford to buy food for their pet, and are feeding the animals leftovers. In addition, there has been a 19% rise in stray and abandoned animals taken to shelters in the last year. Higher insurance bills and veterinarian costs have pet owners skipping the vet visit, while higher food costs also contribute to their difficulties.
"We pride ourselves on being a nation of animal lovers, but the sad reality is some pet owners can either no longer afford to keep their pets or are unable to provide a suitable home for them," said Laura Sleight with the Blue Cross, an animal charity that jointly commissioned the survey with a new TV show called Pets for Life. "Animals add so much to our lives but it's important that people understand the cost, time and commitment involved."
British pets and other animals consume 10% of all palm kernel meal—a byproduct of palm oil—produced in the world, which may be contributing to the destruction of the rainforests where the oil is found.
The UK imported a total of 643,400 metric tons of palm oil and 663,300 metric tons of palm kernel meal in 2009, according to "Mapping and understanding the UK palm oil supply chain," a report completed for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Of the 663,300 metric tons of meal, 552,300 metric tons were imported for animal feed.
But while the UK has been increasingly turning to sustainable oil for its imports, sustainable palm kernel meal has not been a focus, something that has experts worried about the resulting environmental impact. "It's not just a by-product," said Defra official Sara Eppel, especially in Britain where "we import five times as much kernel from Indonesia as palm oil." According to Eppel, current government buying standards don't cover palm oil sustainability.
Britain's dog population has reached an all-time high of 8.3 million, up from 5 million in 1970 and nearing the 8.6 million cat population (down from 2004's peak of 9.6 million), according to a Mintel report for the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association.
"Dogs are now seen as a fashion accessory, with the likes of Paris Hilton seen carrying hers around, whereas cats are getting less attention," said Ben Perkins, an analyst at Mintel. "They aren't seen as a sociable animal and you're not likely to see a celebrity holding a cat."
Figures from the Kennel Club show that "handbag dog" breeds, such as Pugs, have increased sixfold and Chihuahuas have trebled since 2001. This, according to experts, may be partially due to an increase in amateur dog breeding. "It is easy money, but it means some breeds have seen a huge rise in numbers and many of those dogs end up in rescue centers because they can't be looked after," said Beverley Cuddy, editor of Dogs Today.
A new study has found that the UK domestic cat and dog population is larger than previously reported by industry figures.
The paper published in The Veterinary Record by Dr. Jane Murray in the Department of Clinical Veterinary Science at Bristol University and colleagues aimed to estimate the number of UK domestic cats and dogs and identify the characteristics of their owners.
The study also found the following:
*The likelihood of dog ownership increased as the household size increased;
*Dogs were more likely to be owned by households with gardens and rural households and less likely to be owned by households with someone educated to degree level and households with cats or children less than 11 years old;
*Female respondents and those less than 55 years old were more likely to own a dog than others; and
*There are a similar numbers of pet cats and dogs.
