A new study undertaken by working animal charity Brooke has revealed that almost half of UK pet owners are comforted by their animals during holidays like Christmas, which although widely considered to be a happy occasion, can be a stressful time for a lot of people.
The online questionnaire, which surveyed 2,148 adults in December 2024, found that 80% of respondents believe their pet understands them, while 35% feel their pet understands them better than their friends and family.
Nearly half of respondents — 48% — revealed that they shared how they are feeling with their pet every day.
“Just as pets provide comfort during stressful times, working animals, including horses, donkeys and mules support millions of people worldwide, often forging unbreakable bonds with their owners,” said Brooke CEO, Chris Wainwright.
“Handling animals, including working animals, with compassion and respect supports their wellbeing and promotes a positive, life-long relationship with the people around them.
“We hope these findings encourage people to remember that all animals deserve to be treated compassionately — and that animals are wonderful for helping to avoid loneliness.”
Preferring to spend Christmas with pets
The survey also revealed that almost half (48%) of UK pet owners buy their pets a Christmas present, while 11% prefer spending Christmas with their pet rather than family, and 55% treat their pet to a special festive dinner.
Brooke is the world’s largest working equine welfare organisation and works with communities, local health providers and policy makers to improve the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Its 2024 Christmas animation, entitled Handle with Care, highlighted the importance of handling animals compassionately. The animation, which is just over a minute in length, has a voiceover by Ted Lasso actress Annette Badland.
Brooke celebrated its 90th anniversary last year.
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