Aussies say pets more loving than partners

PUPPY LOVE: Most Australians say their pets are more loving than their partners.

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Most Australian pet owners say their animals are more loving and dependable than their partners - and they are happy to lavish money on their pets in return, a survey has found.

A report compiled by the Australian Companion Animal Council this month also showed pet ownership now contributes $6.02 billion to the national economy, a $1.4 billion increase since 2005. Council president Dr Kersti Seksel said the increase was mainly due to expensive ''treats'' and pet luxuries such as doggy daycare and customised pet beds.

''Medical knowledge about pets is growing exponentially,'' Dr Seksel said. ''Pet owners now have the ability to look after their pets' health and well-being - such as kidney transplants for cats - that wouldn't have been available a few years ago.''

There are an estimated 33 million pets in Australia - including almost 10 million birds - one of the highest rates of ownership in the world.

A third of households own a dog and a quarter own a cat.

Television vet Chris Brown said pets were playing bigger roles in Australian family life. ''We are relying more on pets to fulfil a role in our lives,'' said Dr Brown, who yesterday hosted the annual Pet Day Fair at the Sydney University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. ''As we are more stressed, pets can often become more dependable company for a short period of time when we are working harder and have less time.''

The survey of 7000 Australian pet owners by pet food brand Optimum found 80 per cent believed their animals were more affectionate than their partners while 70 per cent believed their pets were more dependable. About half of the people surveyed occasionally cooked a ''special meal'' such as salmon rissoles, Irish stew and shredded pan-fried chicken breast for their pet.

One of Dr Brown's clients, Marie, lives in Sydney's eastern suburbs, has a four-poster bed, her own Twitter account, a variety of matching outfits and fussy food habits. But there's something that sets her apart from eastern suburbs girls - she is an extremely spoilt Pomeranian dog. ''Pets are now considered a legitimate member of the family, where people are dressing their pets like humans, giving them a four-poster bed and going to cafes,'' Dr Brown said.

In the nine years he has practised in Bondi, Dr Brown has seen a huge difference in the expectations owners place on their pets and what they spend their money on.

''Suddenly pets are becoming little people with human names,'' he said. ''Pets that used to be seen as little more than a consumer of kitchen scraps have somehow climbed the ladder of importance and are now valuable contributors to the emotional harmony of a home.''

But he warned that the increasingly intimate relationship between owners and their pets can't be taken lightly but can have grave consequences if taken too seriously.

''People need to be realistic with their pets. They can't treat a pet like a human and then put it outside during the day - this can lead to the pet having separation anxiety and a real loss of identity.''

- © Fairfax NZ News