New figures from the animal welfare charity Brooke have revealed that three-quarters of people agree in some capacity they have a closer bond with their pet than people in their family.
In addition, 78% agree their pets provide more emotional support than friends and family. When seeking comfort, 3 in 5 say they sometimes prefer a cuddle from their pet than their partner.
When it comes to what we love most about our pets, 56% say they love how their pet is always there for them. 50% love that they are good at cuddling and provide emotional support. And 4 in 10 people appreciate that their pet knows when they are sad, and a third like that having a pet teaches both compassion and empathy.
The Brooke survey of 2026 UK pet owners, carried out by Research Without Barriers (RWB) in November, found that more than a quarter (28%) have turned down plans with family and friends so they could stay home with their pets. A further 16% declined a big event such as a wedding, funeral or birthday to stay at home with their pet. A fifth of people say the bond is stronger between themselves and their pet than their partner, and 4 in 10 say it is the same.
The last couple of years has been undoubtedly difficult for many – from Covid-19 to the cost-of-living crisis now. People are seeking comfort from many different sources, and unsurprisingly, a big one is their pets.
While it’s clear the bond between animal lovers and their pets is strong in the UK, animals are struggling all over the world. In particular, the recent floods in Pakistan hit people and also their working horses, donkeys and mules, hard. Pakistan has over six million working horses, donkeys and mules providing support to an estimated 36 million people.
They are mostly used for the transportation of people and goods, and some are used in brick kilns, coal mines and agriculture. In the floods, they helped farmers evacuate overnight as flood warnings were announced, and were used in the aftermath to access areas that had been cut off when roads were destroyed.
While Brooke Pakistan usually focuses on training in animal welfare for owners, they have now had to move into emergency response work. The main issues faced by animals and their owners are lack of access to clean drinking water and food, as well as shade and shelters.
