WOOFS AND WOES: UK PET OWNERS REVEAL BIGGEST CHALLENGES OF OWNING A PET

With pet ownership at an all-time high, it’s no surprise that many are starting to experience some of the realities of being a pet parent. Almost one in ten (9%) British pet owners have even gone as far as stopping to save for big life events such as having a wedding or children, due to the financial implications of owning a cat or dog.

The new research by pet wellness experts Itch, finds that as well as pushing aside major life milestones, others have considered giving up holidays (25%), eating out (21%), having a gym membership (16%) and even dating (8%) as the costs of pet parenting mount up.

The study also found that unforeseen vet costs are the biggest challenge of being a pet parent (56%). Despite vet costs being the highest-ranking challenge, it seems many weren’t aware of this before committing to a four-legged friend, as over one in five (21%) say they didn’t realise how much vet treatment would cost.

The top 10 challenges of owning a pet:

Other struggles highlighted by the study are leaving their pet(s) on their own (45%) and keeping their pet(s) healthy (42%). A further quarter (25%) of Brits avoid taking their pet to vets unless absolutely necessary, most likely due to high vet bills, and finding the experience stressful for themselves and their pet (32%).

But it’s not just the cost of pets causing pet parents a headache, as over a third (38%) say their pets have gone to the bathroom on their bed or carpets, over a quarter (26%) of pets have chewed their owner’s furniture and 23% have even brought their owners a dead animal into the house as a gift…lovely!

One thing that pet owners can’t deny is the unconditional love between themselves and their furry friend. But with such a strong bond between human and pet, comes extra responsibility too. Almost two in five (39%) say their pet’s physical health is a stress to them, 24% say they worry about their pet’s mental health, and others raise not having enough time (26%) or money (18%) to spend with or on them as a cause for concern.

Despite the challenges that come with pet parenting, it’s clear to see the pet/human relationship remains strong. Two thirds (66%) say their pet is a valued member of the family and one in five (20%) even say they love their pet as much as their partner, showing that when it comes to pet ownership, the pros often outweigh the cons.