Pet Parents: How we care for our pets more than ourselves

A third of us Brits are better to our pets than we are to ourselves. We arrange play dates for our dogs and 70% allow them to sleep in their in bed. They are loved just like we love our kids.

• One in six owners spend more on pets than their partners
• On average, pets have seven or more toys to play with
• 90% of people buy a Christmas present and 66% a birthday gift
• One in six owners take their pet to the groomers on a monthly basis

When you think about it, it's not much of a surprise.  As a dog owner of 2 Jack Russell Terriers, I can admit to treating both them as much as I would my kids. Both of them do sleep in a dog bed but in the cold winter nights they will sleekly make their way under the covers.

Gone are the days when a biscuit and a bone were considered a treat for our pets. Nowadays, we lavish our four-legged friends with toys, feed them expensive organic delicacies, allow them to share our beds and even take them on play dates.

That's according to a new survey of more than 1,000 owners of dogs, cats and small furry friends such as rabbits and guinea pigs by recently launched online pet boutique, Astar Pets.

The findings reveal pet owners spend on average £70 a month on their treasured friends, which is more than Brits spend on cake, cosmetics and even holidays.

With 65 million pets in the UK and 45 per cent of UK households owning a pet, Britain is certainly a nation of pet lovers.

But the survey found a staggering 88 per cent of owners admitted giving their pets as much care as they give their own children.

CEO Chris Webster, who co-founded Astar Pets with Quentin Griffiths (founder of both Achica and ASOS), said: 'The UK has transformed from being a nation of pet owners to being a nation of pet parents who enjoy spending time with and treating their pet.'

In their role as 'pet parents', 90 per cent of owners buy a Christmas present for their furry friend, 66 per cent give them a birthday present, 84 per cent allow their pet on the sofa and 66 per cent extend the privilege to their bed.

And that's not where the parental similarities end. As many as 30 per cent of pets are taken on play dates with other animals.

On average, our nation's much-loved animals own seven toys and 60 per cent of pets receive a treat each week.

In fact, one in six pet owners revealed they spend more on presents for their pet than for their partner. Almost half spend over £50 a month on their pet, while a generous 5 per cent spend over £250.

Our passion also extends to their health and well-being. Close to half buy their pets specialist or organic food brands, 28% include vitamin supplements in their pet’s daily meals and all 1,000 owners surveyed said they visited the vet at least once a year for an annual check-up.

When it comes to primping and preening, one in six take their pet to the groomers on a monthly basis

The survey also revealed that 'pet parents' feel guilty when leaving their beloved surrogate child for extended periods with a third organising pet-sitters or walkers when they are out during the day and 58% buying a present for their pet if they have been away on holiday.