People love their spouses and S.O.s, but according to a survey done by pet food brand Purina, half of female dog-owners say they’d rather spend time with their dogs than with their partner or family members. And of the 1,000 dog owners surveyed, 95% say they consider their dog a part of the family, 62% agree their fur baby helps them de-stress after work, and 55% think their dog provides emotional support after getting bad news.
Some pet owners, like Taylor Napoli, feel spending time with their dogs is better than being with other humans. She likes hanging with her black lab when her husband isn’t there because there’s no stress. “He has no expectations of me,” she explains. “He’s just there and so reliable in a way that people aren’t sometimes.”
And like a lot of pet owners, Napoli admits that her pooch sleeps in bed with them. Another survey by the American Kennel Club reveals that 45% of American pet-owners say they let their pets sleep in bed with them.
Pet owners are also spending more than ever on their furry friends. According to the American Pet Products Association, pet parents spent close to $70-billion on their pets last year, up 4% from 2016. Most of the expense is pet food, especially as more pet owners are splurging on fancier pet foods. Some people are even putting their pets on human diets. “Paleopet,” the nutritional book for pets, has gotten popular for its no-starch, meat-centered diet. And on the flip side, 40% of those surveyed by Purina have bought their dog a birthday cake to celebrate their big day.
Source: Moneyish