Pet Power: Brits spend up to £584.7 million on keeping their pets cosy at home
Many pet owners are guilty of leaving the radio on when they go out or even powering up the heating on cold days for their pet, but how much is this costing us? And how can we reduce it without sacrificing the comfort of our pet?
Confused.com surveyed 2,000 UK pet owners to find out just how often they’re powering up electricity for their pets. This alongside costs for each appliance has revealed just how much electricity we’re using each year on our pampered pets.
Who spends the most on their pets?
Latest figures from PDSA reveal that there are 10.9 million cats and 9.9 million dogs living in UK households but how much these pampered pets are costing us. It is revealed that cat owners across the UK are spending £584.7 million extra on energy followed by dog owners who spend slightly less at £514.7 million to keep their pets comfortable at home.
The survey results showed that 22% of Brits are willing to spend more money on energy bills to provide comfort for their pets with 13% of pet owners admitting to powering up an electric heating source for their furry friend 3-7 times a week.
35% of pets owners answered that they are conscious about their pet’s comfort at home when they are not there – so it comes at no surprise that 28% of pet owners put the radio on every day while 25% leave the television on every day.
The main difference between cat and dog owners energy usage was the use of electric fires and radiators. Cat owners use the most energy to keep their pets pampered at an average cost of £858 per cat over their lifespan while dog owners spend slightly less at £675.
Expensive creature comforts
Our survey revealed that 21% of pet owners care more about their pet’s welfare and comfort than their own! A further 6% admitted to being unsure about how to look after their pet without spending lots of money on energy. But, how much is too much?
Powering up an electric heater/ radiator was the most expensive creature comfort costing up to £1,753 per year.
The top 5 cities that spend the most on their pets
The amount we’re spending on our pets differs across the UK. Those in Oxford came up as the biggest spenders with pet owners spending on average £296 per year. By contrast, those in Plymouth spent just £34 per year on average.
A large proportion of Northern cities spent more on energy for their pets mostly due to the increased heating demand of Northern climates (and pets).
| Rank: | City: | Average annual cost: |
| 1 | Oxford | £ 296.02 |
| 2 | Worcester | £ 208.93 |
| 3 | Southampton | £ 178.73 |
| 4 | Swansea | £ 178.33 |
| 5 | Portsmouth | £ 138.52 |
Reducing the energy we use
Pets are domesticated creatures, but they might not need as much pampering as we think. For some, £50 is a significant percentage of their annual energy bill being spent on their pets. But how can this be reduced? While more than a third (35%) of pet owners are conscious of their pets comfort while they’re not home, nearly one in 10 (8%) are confused about what they can do to keep costs down.
