Survey: Pets are pigging out on Christmas treats

Turkey, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, gravy and all the other seasonal trimmings are normally the stuff of dreams for the household pet; however 37% of owners will be serving up this feast for them on December 25.

With the average Christmas dinner containing in excess of 900 calories, porky pooches and fattened felines are likely to join their owners for a snooze in front of the television after dinner, rather than take in a bracing walk. Tellingly 10% of pet owners have put their pet on a diet after Christmas in the past.

In addition to the turkey dinner, pets are likely to be tucking into a whole host of other treats, with the survey revealing animals’ buffet favourites:

l Cocktail sausages

l Crisps

l Chocolate

l Prawns

l Sandwiches

l Mince pies

l Nuts

l Chocolate tree decorations

l Christmas cake

l Cheese footballs

In addition to the gastronomic delights of Christmas, the survey has revealed that over half (57%) of pets will receive a present this year, worth an average of £12.99, whilst 10% of pets will be looking their best over the festive season with £29.71 being spent on grooming and, even, a new Christmas outfit.

Lee Mooney of The Co-operative Insurance said: “The results of the survey clearly show that the UK is a nation of pet lovers. Pets are increasingly seen as part of the family and, once again, we appear to be determined to show this at Christmas

“Pet owners will undoubtedly be spoiling their animals this Christmas with presents, grooming and even Christmas dinner this year. Whilst Christmas is a decadent time of year and pets are most definitely part of the family, feeding them a full Christmas dinner is probably not advised as pets have very different dietary and nutritional requirements to humans.

“It is worrying to see that pet owners are still allowing their pets to eat chocolate, as it is a fact that it can prove fatal to dogs.

“Ensuring pets get enough exercise over the Christmas period is extremely important to their health and shouldn’t be overlooked; an added bonus is that this will hopefully help owners keep any weight gain to a minimum too!”