British women admit to splashing more cash on their furry friends than their partner
From Simon Cowell and his pups Squiddly and Diddly, to Taylor Swift and her beautiful moggy Meredith, celebs are well-known for spoiling their four-legged friends but research from leaders in professional grooming at home, FURminator reveals they are not alone.
Confirming that we are a nation of animal lovers, one in ten women has confessed to spending more money on Christmas presents for their pets than on their partner. Of those, a shocking 58% admit they spend in excess of £20 more on their pampered pets!
When it comes to buying presents, toys, treats, a new bed, collar or lead are the most popular choices for Brits, with almost one quarter of pet owners spending up to £70 on gifts! But the spoiling doesn't stop there. A third of Brits will gift wrap their presents, with one in five cooking their cuddly companion a tasty Christmas dinner before taking them on special walk, proving that our pets really are an important part of the family.
The research also reveals that during the festive season we can't bear to be separated from our pets with almost half of Brits taking their adored animals to visit friends and family, and 36% taking them on holiday.
With this in mind it's no surprise that we like our pets to be looking fur-tastic at all times which is why we are more than happy to treat them to almost four pampering sessions a year. Women are more likely to pay for grooming sessions with teeth cleaning being the most popular treatment followed by paw-dicures and ear cleaning.
Commenting on the research, Stuart Simons, expert dog groomer for FURminator said "Pet pamper sessions have become hugely popular thanks to celebrities such as Vanessa Hudgens and Lada Gaga who frequently spoil their dogs. Not only do they give owners the opportunity to indulge their pet with a relaxing treatment but many of these sessions are also great for their health and wellbeing such as eye and ear cleaning and nail trimming."
"Christmas is a busy time of the year, when we all want to look our best - pets included! So for those who might not have time for a trip to the pet salon, home grooming is the perfect solution, with tools such as FURminator making it easy to keep your pet's coat and skin healthy all year round."
The research also revealed the extreme lengths Brits would go to in order to spend Christmas day with their pets including over one fifth of people admitting they would give up sex and one in four who would give up alcohol for the day. 42% also revealed they would sacrifice social media for the day.
Giuliano Buccino, Head of Marketing UK and Ireland for FURminator added "Christmas is the perfect opportunity to spend time with those we love, including our pets. At FURminator, we believe that home grooming is a rewarding way to bond with your pet, helping him to feel calm and relaxed in your presence. It's heart-warming to see how much the nation loves its four-legged friends and the lengths owners will go to in order to include their pets in the festive fun."
"The FURminator deShedding tool provides a quick and effective solution to removing the undercoat and loose hair from the fur without cutting or damaging your dog's skin or top coat. What's more, FURminator reduces shedding, and unwanted, loose pet hair by up to 90%, meaning it will only be tinsel clogging the vacuum on Christmas day, not pet hair!"
Top Five Things Brits Would Give Up To Spend Christmas With Their Pet
1. Social media
2. Alcohol
3. Sex
4. Time with family
5. Christmas dinner
Top Five Ways Brits Will Spoil Pets On Christmas Day
1. Buy them gifts
2. Gift wrap their presents
3. Go for a special walk
4. Cook them a delicious dinner
5. Take them to visit friends and family
The Nation's Favourite Pet Grooming Treatments
1. Teeth cleaning
2. Pawdicure (nail clipping)
3. Ear cleaning
4. Professional shampoo and blow dry
5. Coat conditioning treatment
The Top Christmas Gifts for Pets This Year
1. Toys
2. Treats
3. New bed
4. Collar or lead
5. New bowl
Pets on Female First