Over half of Pet Owners Would Rather Share the Bed With Their Pet Than Their Child

Research has been conducted to find out how many UK pet owners let their pets sleep in their bed with them throughout the year
Pet owners between the ages of 18 and 30 are most likely to sleep with their pets, with 87% saying that they do so
The most common reason for pet owners allowing pets in their beds is to keep themselves company (72%)

The home and interiors experts at www.Hillarys.co.uk have conducted a survey to over 2,250 UK residents, over the age of 18 who said that they own a pet, to find out how many UK pet owners let their pets sleep in bed with them throughout the year. They also sought to find out pet owners’ attitudes towards letting their pets on furnishings and in certain rooms of the home.

When asked whether they share their bed with their pet on a regular basis, over two thirds of respondents said that they do (67%). It was found that those aged between 18 and 30 are most likely to allow their pets to sleep on their bed (87%), while the least likely to allow pets to sleep on their beds are those aged between 45 and 60, with less than a third saying that they do so (28%).

When asked why people sleep with their pets, the top reasons were found to be:

‘To keep me company’ – 72%
‘To add a layer of warmth’ – 65%
‘Because I don’t like sleeping alone’ – 38%
‘They refuse to sleep anywhere else’ – 26%
‘There is nowhere else for them to sleep’ – 12%

The team also asked about the reasons why people chose not to sleep with their pets. Of the 33% of people who said they don’t let their pets sleep with them, over half said that the reason was because the pets disturb their sleep by making noises, such as barking or meowing (55%).

The respondents were also asked whether they stop their pets from sitting and/or climbing on any furniture; over three quarters of pet owners said that they do (88%), with two thirds of pet owners saying that they stop their pets from sitting and/or climbing on the dining table, and just over half of pet owners saying that they stop their pets from sitting and/or climbing on the kitchen worktop (52%).

Furthermore, when asked whether they had given their pet a room of their own, less than a fifth said that they had (18%). However, just over a quarter of pet owners between the ages of 18 and 30 said that they have given pets a room of their own (28%).

Finally, pet owners who said that they are parents were asked whether they prefer to sleep with their pet or their child and/or children. Over half of parents said that they prefer to sleep with their pets rather than their children (56%), with the majority saying that they get a better night sleep with pets in the bed rather than with their children (78%).

Rachel Fernie, spokesperson from www.Hillarys.co.uk, commented on the findings:

“It’s interesting to see how our relationship with our pets has changed over time and to hear that over a quarter of pet owners between the ages of 18 and 30 have given their pets their own room in the house!”