Saturday, August 13, 2005

MUST Love Dogs




With the release of the new movie " Must Love Dogs", it got me to thinking about just how much of an impact pets have on our lives....even our relationships!


The National Hartz Survey on the human-animal bond

http://www.hartzadvancedcare.com/About%20Hartz/prSurvey.asp

found the following:


Women and special bond with pets

According to the survey, women pet owners show a particularly strong bond with their pets. Here’s what we found out.

  • Women (16 percent) are nearly three times more likely than men (6 percent) to say they would dump their boyfriend/girlfriend that their pet didn’t like
  • Nearly a third of women (31 percent) say they spend more time with their pet than their spouse/significant other vs. only 15 percent of men
  • 29 percent of women ages 18-34 say they notice celebrities pets in the news now more so than before


Human-like habits of pets

Whether getting under the covers or the dining room table, our pets are becoming more like us or maybe we becoming more like our pets? Among those who own dogs and/or cats:


  • About one in three (32 percent) say their pet watches TV; dog/cat owners in the Northeast are more likely to say their pet watches the tube (41 percent) than those in the West (30 percent), south (29 percent) and Midwest (29 percent)
  • Nearly a half (48 percent) say that their pet sleeps on the bed and hogs the covers and the pillow
  • 51 percent of dog owners and 40 percent of cat owners say their pet sits by the dinner table and begs for human food

In another study the Ontario Veterinary Medical Assosciation (OVMA)

http://www.ovma.org/pets/human_animalbond.shtml

stated this...


PETS: AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FAMILY
More than 50% of Canadian households own pets of some kind. Dogs, cats, birds and other companion animals are living in more than five million homes. For their owners, these animals are more than pets-they are part of the family.

Each year, Canadian families spend about three billion dollars on their pets. This exceeds consumer spending on children's toys, footwear, eye care, and dental plans.

A recent survey of pet owners revealed that nearly 80% of respondents gave their pets holiday or birthday presents. More than 60% signed their pets' names on cards or letters. A slight majority (51%) gave their pets human names.

While virtually all pet owners talk to their pets, an astounding 94% spoke to their pets as though they were human. One-third of respondents spoke to their pets on the telephone or via the answering machine. More than 90% of pet owners believed their pets were aware of their moods and emotions.


WOMEN THINK PETS ARE THE CATS MEOW
Many women believe their pets are more sensitive than their spouse or children.
Recent surveys of pet owners revealed some interesting facts about how people relate to their pets:


  • Nearly 50 percent of women relied more on their pets for affection than their spouse or children.
  • More than 40 percent of women said their pets understand their emotions and moods better than other family members.
  • When asked if they were more likely to lose their temper with a family member or a pet, 67 percent of women said a family member.
  • Nearly 90 percent of senior citizens claimed that the presence of pets in their household had a positive impact on their health.
  • Pets reduced stress for 70 percent of the survey respondents

The results are in-pets are wonderful, loving companions. Pets are good listeners and they never talk back. In fact, when it comes to affection and friendship, pets often outshine people.

With pets being a huge part of our lives and our familes it's no wonder they dictate a lot of our relationship decisions.

For more info on the human-animal bond visit the Human Animal Bond Assosciation of Canada at:

http://www.habac.ca/about.htm

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