Valentine's Day Is For (Pet) Lovers

New Purina Survey Shows That Some Pet Owners Would Rather Spend the Holiday with Their Pet Than Their Significant Other and Treat Them to Their Favorite Food

News provided by

Purina

Feb 07, 2019, 16:23 ET

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Valentine's Day may be best known as a holiday for sweethearts, but for many pet owners, it's also a day to say "I love you" to the furry friends that make their lives better every day. In fact, a recent survey by Purina shows that 13 percent of pet owners in a relationship would rather spend Valentine's Day with their pet than their significant other, proving that the power of the human/animal bond doesn't take a holiday.

It's no surprise that we love our pets. Half of women and nearly a third of men say "I love you" to their pet multiple times per day, according to the survey. And many pet owners are likely to show their pawed pals some extra love on February 14^th:

#BetterWithPets: 41 percent of pet owners say they're likely to post a picture of their pet on social media for Valentine's Day.
Table for two: 20 percent of pet owners are likely to organize a Valentine's Day themed dinner date with their pet.
Fine Dining: Wet food is the most popular Valentine's Day dish for pets – 40 percent of pet owners say if they were preparing Valentine's Day meal for their pet, they would give wet food.

"It's well documented that pets make our lives better and generally brighten our mood each day. They can also help lower blood pressure, and pet owners have been shown to have higher self-esteem than those without pets in their lives," said Dr. Kurt Venator, DVM, PhD, Chief Veterinary Officer at Purina. "So, it makes perfect sense that because they make us feel good, we want to give them the extra love they deserve on Valentine's Day and every day after."

And while more than half of pet owners agree that their pets already eat better than they do, many may not understand the full benefits of bringing a 'special' meal, like wet cat or wet dog food, into their pets' diet more regularly.

"Just like people, pets place a great deal of importance on the food they eat," said Venator. "Oftentimes, the food they crave is wet food, and for good reason with the nutritional benefits it can yield. Wet pet foods like Fancy Feast or Bella may be seen as a special occasion choice, but it delivers protein-rich nutrition and moisture to help promote healthy hydration, making it a win-win selection that pets love."

Backed by the expertise of more than 500 veterinarians, pet nutritionists and behaviorists, Purina offers a portfolio of wet and dry pet food and treat options for pet owners looking for high quality, safe, best-in-class nutrition for the pets they love every day of the year. To learn more about Purina's nutritional philosophy and how the work we are doing can help pets live long, healthy lives, visit Purina.com/nutrition.

About Purina
Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness. Subscribe here to get the latest Purina news.

About the Survey
Penn Schoen Berland (PSB), an independent research company, conducted an online survey on behalf of Purina among 1,004 dog and cat owners in the U.S. Research was conducted between January 10-14, 2019.

SOURCE Purina