National Companion Animal Owner Survey Finds People Prefer Animal Companionship Over Human

A survey of companion animal owners finds that, given a choice between human or animal companionship, more than half of companion animal owners would want a family companion animal instead of another person if stranded on a deserted island. The survey also addresses other daily interactions between owners and their companion animals.

People are humanizing their relationships with their companion animals in many ways (excerpted from article):

• 57 percent of companion animal owners surveyed would want a companion animal as their only companion if deserted on an island.
• 80 percent of survey respondents selected companionship as the major reason for having a companion animal.
• 72 percent of companion animal owners say that affection is their companion animals’ most endearing trait.
• 79 percent of surveyed companion animal owners give their companion animals holiday or birthday presents.
• 33 percent of companion animal owners talk to their companion animals on the phone or through the answering machine.
• 21 percent of dog owners sometimes dress their companion animals.
• 62 percent of respondents often sign letters or cards from them and their companion animals.
• 55 percent of companion animal owners consider themselves as mom or dad to their companion animals.