As per a recent national survey done by Purina, New Zealand’s leading pet-care company, families consider their pets to be an integral part of their household.

New Zealand is already known as a country of pet-lovers and the survey done by Purina exposed the dynamics that pets bring to our lives. Both male and female cat and dog owners admitted to ‘cherishing pets’. 85 percent of the total pet-lovers confessed that they treat their dog like ‘a member of their family’ in comparison to 81 percent of cat owners.

“Families have changed over the years and pets now play a more emotional role in them and subsequently this is reflected in owners feelings towards them. At Purina we regularly see the bond between cats and dogs and families deepening as more and more kiwis include their pets in all aspects of their everyday lives,” said Shivaun Statham, Purina’s resident pet-care expert.

The softer side to New Zealanders was revealed by this survey when it comes to their pets. As compared to women, men showed a more caring attitude toward their pet.