Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week (15-21 May), a leading veterinarian charity is promoting keeping family pets and their owners together through the cost of living crisis.
Nearly all family pet owners (94%) state that owning an animal makes them happy, according to brand-new figures from the upcoming 2023 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report – and their assistance has actually been crucial, particularly as many individuals have actually been required to make extreme lowerings to survive.
While stressing figures have actually revealed that as lots of as 770,000 owners are going without requirements in order to keep looking after their family pets, almost half of owners (44%) have likewise said that their four-legged friend has actually been a lifeline throughout the cost of living crisis.
Nearly all (90%) family pet owners felt having an animal enhanced their lives, a convenience which is particularly crucial as lots of feel the effect of the cost of living crisis. This figure is greater particularly amongst dog (91%) and cat owners (89%).
The findings likewise highlight the advantages of having an animal on general health, with 87% specifying owning an animal makes them psychologically much healthier. While over 2 thirds (67%) feel it makes them physically healthier – a figure that is even greater amongst dog owners (86%).
Meanwhile, at a time where many individuals are needing to handle energy expenses and skyrocketing living expenses, which can show separating, furry good friends are vital when it concerns supplying friendship. For example, the figures reveal that over 4 in 5 family pet owners (85%) state that owning an animal makes them feel less lonesome.
PDSA Veterinary Surgeon, Lynne James, said: “Pets are family, and we understand that family pet owners will go to terrific lengths to guarantee they can continue to look after their cherished family pets. It critically important that with whatever family pets provide for us, we make certain that they have whatever they require to live healthy and happy lives.
“Our latest figures reveal family pets are important, particularly when their owners are going through challenge. As the cost of living crisis worsens, the work of charities like ours ends up being crucial, not just to offer vital veterinary care, however likewise to keep family pets and their owners together in their time of requirement.
“In 2022, we offered veterinary look after over 390,000 family pets, whose owners would otherwise have actually struggled to pay for the cost and might even have actually needed to turn to other choices such as rehoming – the psychological health effects of which are inconceivable.
“As Mental Health Awareness Week techniques, I’d like to motivate family pet owners who are having a hard time due to increasing expenses, and who are worried about having the ability to pay for the cost of veterinary treatment to connect to us. Our website consists of a totally free eligibility checker to learn whether they’re able to access our services, which is a terrific location to start.
“We also have lots of free advice on how to reduce the cost of caring for pets, while ensuring they remain healthy and happy – something we hope will take a mental load off for many pet owners through the cost of living crisis.”
PDSA counts on contributions to provide life-saving treatment to numerous countless family pets throughout its 48 Pet Hospitals in the UK. To help keep family pets and individuals together, the charity is urgently getting in touch with the general public’s assistance to avoid susceptible individuals needing to make a really heart-breaking choice. To learn more about PDSA’s crucial work throughout the cost of caring crisis, or to contribute, go to www.pdsa.org.uk/costoflovingcrisis.
