15 February 2023
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
KSNF/KODE — It’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air, for pets and pet owners that is. A new survey by AKC Pet Insurance uncovers insights on how pet owners in the U.S. choose to spend Valentine’s Day, and who they want to spend it with.
According to the survey, 55% of single Americans prefer to stay at home with their dog or cat than to go out for Valentine’s Day. The study, which surveyed 1,000 dog and cat owners in America, sheds light on how pet parents prefer to spend Valentine’s Day, and how pets influence them in their romantic preferences and relationships.
Additionally, the survey includes the following findings:
46% of single pet owners prefer to date someone who owns a dog or a cat (55% of the respondents say they do not prefer to date someone who dislikes dogs or cats).
60% of pet owners in relationships say their pet brought them and their partner closer.
50% of couples prefer to stay home with their pets on Valentine’s Day than go out.
1-in-5 respondents who are in a relationship said they prefer to spend time with their pet than with their partners. Further, one in four of the respondents prefer to cuddle with their pets than their partners.
“We also uncovered how much of a critical role pets are playing in relationships, and we actually found 60% of respondents felt their dog or cat has brought them closer together with their partners,” said AKC Pet Insurance representative and pet trends expert, Beth Schmidt.
The majority of pet owners (87%) shared they spend up to $30 on their pets when gift giving.
“We wanted to gain further insight into the role pets play in our lives when it comes to relationships — whether we are single or have a partner. Results confirmed some fun truths. The underlying theme (of the survey) is that our relationships with our pets and our romantic relationships are not mutually exclusive, they very much influence each other,” said Schmidt.
You can see the full results of the survey, HERE.