As animal lovers, we can’t think of anything better than to live our lives surrounded by pets – we’d fill our homes in an instant if we could!
Whilst the thought seems nice, in reality, it’s not so simple, with pets requiring a lot of time and attention to keep them happy and healthy. Well, living with someone is a big commitment, so it’s important that our pets are comfortable in their home!
No animal lover would ever knowingly take on the responsibility of a pet without being fully prepared, but recent findings have shown just how important initial research can be…
A recent report by the PDSA has found that a quarter of pet owners carried out no research before welcoming a pet into their home, leading to a number of “lonely, overweight and stressed pets” across the UK.
The study found that 26% of pet owners in Scotland had committed to a pet without carrying out any preliminary research, with the figure at 24% for the remainder of the UK. This averages at around 5.2 million people.
The charity has subsequently expressed concerns that this could bring about a number of animal welfare concerns, relating to both their physical and mental wellbeing.
Findings showed that, whilst 74% of UK owners said they felt informed about their pet’s main welfare needs (health, behaviour, companionship, diet, and environment), only around 13% could correctly identify all 5 from an extensive list.
Speaking of the findings, PDSA vet Olivia Anderson Nathan said:
“Owners undoubtedly love their pets and want to do the best by them. However, failure to do the right research beforehand means that owners aren’t fully equipped to do that. The results of our PAW report reveal problems with lonely, overweight and stressed pets across the UK.
Unfortunately, it seems that some owners are also taking on pets off the back of trends; maybe they’ve seen a certain type of pet in a film or on social media, and whilst this is done with all good intentions, it’s worrying if it’s done without any research or consideration of an animal’s health and happiness.
Most of us wouldn’t dream of buying a new car or booking a holiday without researching all of the options and the costs involved, but too often, little thought is going into the time, commitment and money involved in raising a happy and healthy pet throughout their lifetime.”
The research was carried out by YouGov. Of the 4,639 dog, cat, and rabbit owners surveyed in the UK, 358 were living in Scotland.
We can’t bear the thought of any pets feeling unsettled in their home and don’t for one minute believe that anyone would knowingly place their pets in a compromising position. This does highlight, however, just how important it is to spend a few moments looking into the animal that you’re going to welcome into your family and raise for the rest of their life.
As the kids head back to school and the summer comes to an end, Tailster has all of your pet care needs sorted! Whether you’re looking for regular, daily walks or someone to pop in occasionally to check on your pets, we’ve got you covered. Click here for more information on Tailster’s pet walking and sitting services.