Census 2006 results

The Blue Cross Pet Census results are in and they reveal some interesting facts.

Investigate the state of the pet nation using our Blue Cross Pet Census 2006 statistics tool 

A taster of what you can discover:

• British pet owners spend over £5 billion on their pets every year.
• Men spend more, £244, on their pets a year than women, and are more likely, 46 per cent, than women to own pedigree animals. Owners in East Anglia spend less, £197, than the national average on their pets every year, while respondents in Scotland and Wales spend more.
• Women are more likely to shower their pets with love and attention. Of those surveyed, an adult female in the family unit is twice more likely than their male counterpart to be the pet's main care giver and a third of single females allow their pets to sleep in their bedrooms, as opposed to only 18 per cent of single males.
• The survey indicated that just under half, 48 per cent, of the UK population own a pet and that the biggest problem people face with ownership is that it requires more responsibility than they expected.

The Blue Cross Pet Census is the only national survey of its kind and is compiled by the pet charity as part of its ongoing work to understand the relationships people have with their pets.

The data provides essential national and regional information on issues including ownership trends, animal welfare, attitudes to pet ownership and the relationship between pets and their people.