Pets hold an extremely important role in British society, more so than in many other cultures around the world. As of 2022, around 59% of British households own at least one pet. This equates to 34 million animals spread across 17 million households. The most popular pet, by far, is the dog, with cats coming in a close second. Other typical pets include rabbits, indoor birds, fish, horses and reptiles.
However, pets are not just considered as animals in the UK, they’re considered a member of the family. According to surveys, around 90% of UK households would name their pets as a family member, so much so that 16% named them as family members on the 2011 census and 9% of dog owners left money in their will to their pet dogs.
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