Thousands of people Milton Keynes have a social media account for their DOG, survey reveals

And one in three owners say they buy gifts for their pet's birthday
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More than half of pets in MK and elsewhere have their own social media account, a survey has revealed.

And one in three owners confess to celebrating their dog’s birthday, spending on average £26 per pet.

The survey, conducted by One4all Gift Cards, quizzed 1,012 people about how much they spoiled their pets.

Some pets are social media starsSome pets are social media stars
Some pets are social media stars

The data found that half of UK pets now have their own social media account where their photos can be shared with the world.

And an animal-loving 28% of those surveyed confessed they posted more pictures of their pets on social media than the people in their lives.

The survey also found that many lucky pets now enjoy their birthdays just as much as humans, with more than one in three owners (36%) confessing to celebrating their pet’s birthday regularly.

One in five pet owners shower their pets with birthday gifts, while 15% admitted to singing happy birthday to their furry friends.

The average UK pet owner spends more than £26 celebrating each pet’s birthday, it was discovered.

Remarkably, it is men who are the more generous of the sexes when it comes to gifting the animals in their lives, spending £31.40 on each pet’s birthday - £10.57 more than female owners do.

The research also found that it’s not just birthday’s which Brits celebrate, as almost one in 10 pet parents receive a Mother’s or Father’s day gift from their furry family members.

Pet owners in London are the most lavish when celebrating their pet’s birthday – spending more than £60 each year on each pet.

Aoife Davey, Senior Marketing Manager at One4all Gift Cards, said: “Brits are well-known for doting on their pets, but the research has uncovered some interesting data surrounding just how far we will go to spoil our furry friends, not just on their birthdays but all year round.

“The data also found that UK pet owners spend more than £100 on each pet per year on treats alone, and that doesn’t take into account food or any other necessities such as vet’s bills – this is an astonishing figure, especially for those who have more than one pet in their household.”

“The gift exchange goes beyond birthdays as the research found that 1 in 10 pet owners give gifts to their friends and family on behalf of their pet and 16% of pets receive gifts from their friends and family at Christmas.

“It’s interesting to see just how many gifts are exchanged between pets, their owners, and owners’ friends and families throughout the year – it’s clear to see that our animals are considered part of the family”.

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