They tell them about the rain and the weather, their life projects … 51% of the French prefer to spend time with their dog or cat rather than with their friends, according to a poll published on Friday.
“It’s a huge comfort and they find life sad without their dog or cat”, according to the survey conducted by Opinion at the request of Assuropoil, a health insurance company for dogs and cats. “At least with their pet, it never gets angry! “
The animal is a confidant: 97% of respondents admit to talk to him about the weather, their little problems, their day, their projects and even their love life (mainly young people aged under 35 ).
Family wins anyway …
But if the animal is preferred to that company of friends, family still wins the duel, with 64% of respondents saying to spend more time with family, against 35% who still prefer their pet.
In a country with 63 million pets, Felix and Fido are a real support in the personal life of 43% of respondents. And today, the pet is considered a family member in itself. Thus, 25% of respondents, mostly women, say they spend more time with their pet than their spouse.
They greet their dog before their children
Although 74% of French still prefer to spend time with their loved one rather than with their stupid questions “What reactions would you have if your future spouse do not accept your pet? “, 40% answered that it would be prohibitive.
More surprisingly, 37% welcomed their first animal on the way home and 15% kiss their dog or cat before their children. Parents admit even be happy to see their pet as their child in the evening (29% against 21%).
40% offer them a Christmas gift
And the French are generous with their animals. Every year, they spend more than 4 billion euros for them. 40% provide a gift for Christmas, birthday or for their four-legged companion.
But too few animals are insured against illness, says David Derai, CEO of Assuropoil, established in 2002. “In France, the animal insurance corresponds to only 8% of the insured population when with our European neighbours it is 30 or 40% “ , he said.
Its 150,000 customers spend between 15 and 30 euros a month to ensure a dog or cat. The study, entitled “The complicity of the French with their dogs and cats”, Was conducted in mid-September with a sample of 1,048 owners of dogs and / or cats, from a sample of 2,221 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over, by the quota method .
