Majority Favour Pet Proficiency Certificates

A survey carried out towards the end of June by market researcher Tickbox on behalf of the pet superstore chain Pets at Home, has found that 55% of parents in the UK think people should have licences or proficiency certificates for owning a pet..

The same survey also found parents under pressure from their children to bring a pet into the family. But whilst a massive 80% of respondents reported that their child had asked if they could have a pet, 61% said they hadn't got one because they felt they would not be able to look after it properly.

Pets at Home is once again promoting its school summer holiday in-store petcare classes to children and their parents. Its pet expert Nick Ackworth commented on the results of the survey. He said:

"The pressures on parents nowadays are huge and this survey shows that 4 out of 5 children pressurise their parents at some stage to get a pet. And it doesn't help when you've got a lot of cinema cartoons such as Ratatouille or Finding Nemo showing you some cute cuddly animal, that [sic] actually they come out thinking 'I want one of those'."

Pets at home has in the past benefited from some of the fads arising from cinema and TV blockbusters. Back in February the company reported that sales of Fire-bellied Newts and Albino Clawed Frogs had more than doubled in some stores as a result of the BBC's Life in Cold Blood series.

Despite the majority of parents resisting pressure from their children to get a pet, more (77%), felt that children learn lessons in responsibility by owning and looking after a pet. 27% responded that they thought they knew what was needed to look after a pet but had never researched the subject fully.

Pets at home is launching a series of in-store events for the summer, including Pet Proficiency Workshops. More information is available here.