We're a nation of animal lovers with two fifths (60%) of Brits owning a pet, but many of us still don't realise the benefits of our furry friends, some of which can be life saving.
A recent 'Better with Pets' meta-research review and a survey commisioned by Purina, Nestlé's pet food company, reveal the benefits pets bring to society and that a huge 63% of Brits don't know that dogs can detect the early signs of cancer, a third (32%) are unaware that dogs can alert their owners to potential seizures, and a fifth (26%) don't realise dogs can help autistic children. However, 3 in 5 (60%) Brits would consider owning a pet, if they knew the health and wellbeing benefits they bring.
Top ten benefits pets bring to society that Brits are unaware of:According to the survey, 3 in 5 (62%) of the nation's pet owners say that their pet has improved their health and wellbeing with a significant 97% saying pets have a positive effect on their mental health. And the benefits are not only to Brits' health, their pocket is better off too. On average pet owners believe they save £322 per year on healthcare costs with one in 10 (10%) saving over £500. If your pet lives for an average of 12 years that could be a saving of £6,000 at least on top of a lifetime of fun and cuddles with your four-legged best friend.
It's not just our own purse-strings that pets can help tighten. Professor Daniel Mills, professor of veterinary behavioural medicine at the University of Lincoln, who spoke at Purina's first ever Better with Pets European Forum last month, said that pet ownership can help save the NHS £2.5 billion a year. Animal assisted activities and therapy (AAT), where animals are involved as a way of improving social, emotional and cognitive function, and supporting recovery and rehabilitation, can play an important role in this cost saving also. In fact, over a third (36%) of people recognise the benefits of pets in therapy and recovery and 77% would consider AAT, but less than 1% (0.4%) surveyed have taken part in any form of AAT in the past.
Professor Daniel Mills, professor of veterinary behavioural medicine at the University of Lincoln said, "While these numbers are not perfect, there is definitely something there that the public health and pet care community needs to pay attention to. The benefits of responsible pet ownership are clear. I've seen pets have dramatic effects on autistic children. Understanding the subtleties and nuances of how people and pets work together is vitally important for the well-being of both, and has the potential to make a massive difference to public health. But it is crucial that the industry is given an opportunity to analyse this further. Ignoring the evidence is a far greater problem than dismissing the research as being at an early stage."
The survey also reveals that pets can have another big impact on society - getting people to switch off. We live in an ever increasing digital world with the threat of face-to-face interaction becoming a thing of the past. However 7 out of 10 (68%) people say that their pets provide a better social life than social media. Even the truly digital generation prefer pets - 62% of 16-24 year olds prefer a social life away from social media thanks to their pet.
Despite the popularity of pet social media accounts, over two thirds (70%) say social media has not improved their relationship with their pet, and a significant 83% of Brits don't believe social media can ever replace companionship with pets.
Our biggest barriers to owning a pet include not being able to take our pets to work (28%), our houses being too small for a pet (23%), not having a garden (16%) and landlords not allowing pets (14%). If barriers were removed, almost two thirds (64%) of people would get a pet and reap the rewards.
Richard Watson, Regional Director - Northern Region (Purina UK&I, Netherlands, Nordics) comments: "We believe that society is stronger and healthier when pets are welcomed into it as the many benefits of pet ownership become evident. As pet owners we know this and we also know that pets' positive role on people and society can often be undervalued. A number of factors are affecting pets and pet owners more than ever. At Purina we have made commitments to help create a world where people and pets can be better together and we hope that people in the UK will join us to help make our society a better place with pets very much at the heart of it."
The 'Purina in Society Commitments are the company's ten initiatives to help create a world where people and pets can be better together, which is the first of its kind in the industry. These ten commitments are measurable actions, which include promoting responsible pet ownership; pet adoption; pets in the workplace, and leading the way in pet health research.
Get involved in the conversation at #Wearebetterwithpets. For more information, please visit www.purina.co.uk/pins
