AP Poll Shows Pets' Place in the American Family

Published: Jun. 29, 2009
Subject: Just Like Family
Category: More Tabby Tidbits

Maybe your dog doesn’t look like your relative, but he’s definitely part of your family. A just released Associated Press-Petside.com poll confirms it. The results of a random sample of 1,110 pet owners show that "half of all American pet owners consider their pets as much a part of the family as any other person in the household." Really, only half? (Apparently, none of the Woof Reporters were polled.)  

But wait, that’s not all. Another 36 percent of people polled said "their pet is part of the family but not a full member." Lucky for these pets, their secondary status isn’t curtailing their pampered lifestyles. Most poll respondents admitted to feeding their pet human food, close to half have taken their pet on vacation, and nearly a third let them sleep in a human bed. Half of them even give their pets human-like names, such as Jack or Sophie.

Fortunately, there are some devoted pet people who are not afraid to say so. More single than married pet people consider their pets full family members. In fact, 66 percent of single women versus just 46 percent of married women said their pets are full family members. The poll showed that men are less likely to give their pets the "full member" status. But Arizona veterinarian Kristin Nelson isn't buying it. She told the Associated Press, "men are also attached to pets – but are less likely to admit it …"

The Scoop: 

For the complete story and more stats on pet lifestyles, read the report from the AP Poll
www.news.google.com/AP_Poll_PetFamily

See the AP Poll results on Pet Names
www.news.google.com/AP_Poll_PetNames

Thank you to our Woof Report Friend Bannie, Brewster, and Beasley for the photo.

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