Pets are popular around the world and it seems as though some owners are now integrating their beloved creatures into their social lives.
According to research conducted by VoucherCodes.co.uk, 4.1 million consumers in Britain let their animals dominate their social lives both on and offline. Of the people it polled, 14 per cent revealed they take their pets to the pub or to friends’ houses, the Daily Mail reports.
Meanwhile, one in seven owners were described as ‘petstagrammers’, meaning they upload pictures of their pets to the web. Also, 2.3 million pet owners give their animals a prominent place on their online profiles.
Over a quarter of the pet owners surveyed regularly share snaps of their furry companions on sites like Facebook and Twitter. One in seven petstagrammers admitted they take this one step further and upload more images of their animals than their friends and family.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, young people aged 18 to 24 were found to be the most prolific posters of pet-related social media updates, with two in five regularly sharing photos of their pets online.
Duncan Jennings, co-founder of VoucherCodes.co.uk, said: “People have always been proud of their pets and it’s interesting to see how this has now transcended to their social lives and in particular social networking.
“Like many trends, celebrities are leading the way by pampering their pets before posting pictures online. However, not everyone has a celebrity budget, so savvy shoppers looking to treat their pets for less should look out for the many deals and discounts that are regularly available online.”
It is now easy for owners to find products to pamper their animals. From toys to bedding and even clothing, there are lots of items available. More importantly, there is also superb quality pet food for people to purchase. This can help to keep animals healthy and strong.