Why are people choosing to spend more on their pets?*

Would you spend £100 on a designer rain coat for your pooch? How about a £200 cat tree for your feline friends? They may have been an important part of our lives for so long, but why are we choosing to spend more and more on our furry family members each year?

If you work full-time and drop your dog off at daycare or wave goodbye to the cats through the window, you’ll know the guilty feeling you get knowing they won’t see you all day. But is this really the reason us Brits are spoiling our pets? According to recent research, the UK’s 53,000 pet owners spend more than £400 a month each on their animals!

Do we treat them more like children?

Many see the addition of a dog, cat or other pet just like welcoming a child into their lives. They need to be fed, looked after and loved just like little ones; is this increase in spending on them a sign that we treat our furry friends more like children? 

In these unprecedented times, we need our animals more than ever. Not only are they an incredible source of positivity in helping with anxiety, but also with our general mental and physical health too. Whether you’re feeling trapped or isolated, both literally and figuratively, you can always turn to your pet.

They will never question why you’re feeling the way you are or offer you a negative reaction and will often simply curl up with you and offer a silent bit of support. 

We can learn so much from them

There are so many lessons we can learn from our pets. In order to keep them happy, we really don’t have to do much! Dogs, for example, need food, water and time to run around. Of course, cuddles, love and attention never go amiss, but to be happy, simplicity is key. The same can be applied to our lives. 

Yes, we all love treats every now and then, including our pets, and if you want to splash out on a £100 doggy jacket you’ll have to make sure you have the budget to do so. The same applies to the felines in our life – those cat trees can come in at a hefty price. But our pets can teach us that there really is beauty in the simplicity of life. 

Whether you’re a dog or cat lover, own a horse or a hareem of birds, our pets deserve the best. But don’t forget, their lifespan is often 10+ years, so make sure that you carefully plan your budget so you can financially and emotionally support them throughout it all – it’s the least they deserve for all they do for us.

*This is a collaborated post