Britons and their pets
Wednesday, April 22 2009
Whether they bark, meow, squeak, chirp or hiss, pets are treasured household members for most British people at some point in their lives, and recent surveys show more and more people are welcoming animals into their homes and treating them as family. The British love for animals has existed for centuries and is now part of our national identity.
A history of pets in the UK
The British preference for particular species has changed over time but the overall growth in pet ownership has been a constant for over five decades. Dogs, birds, fish, cats, and rodents are the most common pets, with dogs currently the most popular species in the British Isles.
While owning a pet is almost the norm today, in the not too distant past, it was a luxury. During Shakespeare’s time, and for centuries afterward, aristocrats adored pampered lapdogs, while half-starved mongrels roamed the streets and children tortured cats in public. Cockfighting and “baiting” – pitting ferocious dogs against animals ranging from monkeys to ducks – provided popular entertainment for all classes. Caged birds were more popular than they are today. Farmers kept cats to rid their barns of mice, and dogs to herd or help with hunting. Keeping an animal solely as a companion was something for which only the wealthy had the free time and disposable income. One important change came with the new interest in "purebred" animals beginning in the 1800s. Some British pet owners became involved in animal "fancies," reshaping their pets through selective breeding and showing them in competitions. Exotic animal pets were rare and generally souvenirs of foreign travel. As today, small-animal pets were most common when children were present, but some, such as the hamster and the gerbil, would not be introduced until the mid-1900s.
Over the course of the 1800s, changing attitudes towards health, household cleanliness, and comfort influenced the ways people cared for their pets. Pet owners wanted their animals to enjoy their lives and share the comforts of home. Dogs and cats living indoors at least part of the time needed to be house trained and to follow household rules. Their owners used a variety of methods, passed on by word of mouth, to train them. Published training advice for pets was rare until the early 1900s, when veterinary patent-medicine and pet-food companies began to offer booklets as extras. The training methods included some that are controversial today, such as electric shock collars.
In the past, both children and adults enjoyed playing with pets and watching them play with each other. Much play involved simple activities such as throwing a ball for a dog or getting a kitten to chase string. Teaching pets to do tricks and playing pretend games with them were other forms of play. By the 1910s, pet and sporting goods stores began to stock toys designed specifically for pets. The first true pet stores began to emerge after World War II. Pet ownership in Britain really took off during this period as families not only earned more income, but began to move to the suburbs, where they had more room to keep pets. The increased availability of pet food and other basic care items made owning a pet much easier.
Pet Care
The continual improvements in veterinary care and the development of products that make caring for all types of pets easier, particularly fish, birds and reptiles, which formerly required highly specialised knowledge for their care and feeding, has had a profound impact on the growth in pet ownership in Britain. Veterinary medicine has expanded, with specialties devoted to particular animals and disease types (such as cancers). Vets have also developed a better understanding of many of the common diseases that plague pets.
Now there are options to treat diseases and ailments that 20 years ago would have meant putting the animal to sleep. Vets can perform more complicated surgeries, pets with broken limbs can have them mended and chemotherapy can be performed on cats with cancer or dialysis on those with kidney problems (two common feline ailments).
Because these options are available, people are now willing to spend hundreds of pounds to treat their pets and keep them alive, whereas in the past they would have simply put them to sleep. With pets living longer, owners are paying more attention to issues such as dental care and diet. In the past dogs would rarely live long enough to suffer dental problems, but now, with some dogs living upwards of 15 years, their teeth become important to a dog's long-term health.
These needs also have led to a growth in pet foods and treats aimed at keeping pets healthy. Though the pet industry has led to more high-end products, such as designer dog clothes and carriers and cat spas, the majority of pet owners don't go in for those luxuries. Most of the money spent on pets goes to food, veterinary care and basic supplies.
Their place in society today
As the British middle class emerged and grew in the 20th century, pets, like cars and TV sets, became something that anyone could have. Adding to this was the changing idea of the typical British family, which was shaped by portrayal of families on TV and in the movies. In addition to a mother, father and children, these fictional families also had a dog and cat, sending the message that pets were an essential part of home life. Television shows on channels such as Animal Planet that focus on pets also serve to reinforce the norm of having a pet. Pets are now not just a part of the household like the TV or computer is, they are more and more thought of as full-fledged family members. A large percentage of people who keep pictures of their spouse and children in their wallet also keep pictures of their pets, reinforcing the notion that pets are members of the family.
For dog owners, more opportunities have cropped up to make it easier to keep a canine companion. The problem of what to do with a dog while the owner is at work now has several solutions: More businesses are allowing people to bring their dogs to work, day care centre for dogs are appearing and people are increasingly able to telecommute or work from home. Some stores and bars even allow dogs to accompany their owners inside.
There's also the strong sense of grief many owners feel when a pet dies, plus the consoling response of family and friends. Pet owners can now to keep their pet's ashes in an urn or purchase a headstone or marker in a pet cemetery, and friends and co-workers can send a condolences card.
But even with all the advances that have made owning a pet easier, there's still one main reason why people get a pet and that is for the companionship that only a pet can provide.
Some facts and figures
Research carried out for National Pet Month by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) recently revealed that there are approx 27 million pets in this country and 43% of households contain at least one pet.
- Not surprisingly, cats and dogs are the top animal choice for most pet lovers.
- 39% of London’s pet owners have a pet for companionship even though London is the UK’s highest populated city
- 60% of single people in the UK have a pet for companionship – 39% of whom have replaced their partner with a pet
- 21% of pet owners have wanted a pet since childhood
- 5% have a pet for security
- Over a quarter (27%) of the UK’s pets were bought or acquired from an animal welfare or rescue centre compared to 20% from a pet shop
All About Pets also commissioned a piece of research looking into this. What is the extent of knowledge that the British people have about pets and pet ownership? Follow the link and try the questions to see how you matched up with the results!
All About Pets national pet survey
What do you think about the feature and surveys? Share your experiences in our forum!