New Poll Reveals Americans Often Treat Pets Like Humans

The downturn in the economy appears to be causing people to seek more comfort in their pets than ever. A new AP/Petside poll released Tuesday shows that half (50%) of American pet owners consider their pets to be as much a part of the family as any person in the household. The survey reveals that single people of both genders, but especially single women (66%), were likely to say that their pet is a full member of the family. Only 46 percent of married women shared the same viewpoint. In comparison, 52 percent of single men said so, compared to 43 percent of married men. A great percentage (43%) of pet owners think their pooch or kitty has their own sense of style, with 1 in 5 dressing them up in fashionable attire. That said, results show that "Fido" is more likely to be fashion forward, with almost a quarter (23%) of dog owners saying they've purchased an outfit for their pet, compared with 12 percent of cat owners. Human tastes also reach pet tastebuds, with 43 percent of respondents admitting to feeding their pets people food at least sometimes, with more dog owners doing so (48%) than cat owners (40%). In some respects, this poll reveals that dog owners treat their pets more like members of the family than cat owners. Dog owners are more likely to have taken their pet to a family vacation than cat owners (50 % vs. 39%) and are also more likely to have included their pet in a holiday card (37% vs. 33%) or family portrait (38% vs. 32%). Canines are also more likely to be taken to work than felines (21% vs. 14%). Still, more cat owners (36%) allow their furry friends to sleep in the same bed with them than dog owners (29%), with married people more likely to relegate their pets to its own bed than singles. And owners who celebrate pet birthdays are almost even, with 29 percent of dog owners and 26 percent of cat owners marking the occasion. Finally, they say a "rose is a rose" by any name, but almost half (49 percent) of respondents have given at least one of their current pets a human-like name, including 51 percent of dog owners and 50 percent of cat owners. For more information go to: http://surveys.ap.org/ Also see our previous polls on the Obama Puppy and Pet Owners Understanding Their Pets.