Edinburgh and London crowned pet ownership ‘hotspots’
The cities saw a 140% and 141% increase in per ownership, respectively
Edinburgh has seen a 140% increase in pet ownership over the last year, the largest increase outside of London, according to new data from pet insurance provider Bought By Many.
The group analysed the increase in policy numbers across the UK to determine the top pet hotspots. The growth in Edinburgh was closely followed by Watford (137%), Woking (136%) and Hamilton in South Lanarkshire (129%).
London also saw “staggering” growth in pet ownership, recording a 141% rise, with Southwark (164%), Lambeth (153%) and Merton (152%) seeing the highest rise in ownership.
Edinburgh, Brighton and Leeds saw the largest increase in cat ownership, with a 133%, 88% and 87% increase in policies taken out for cats in the last year respectively.
Meanwhile, Newcastle witnessed a 154% growth in dog ownership, followed by Woking (153%) and Watford (152%). In the last year, dog policies have grown by 90% across the nation, against cat policies which have grown by 54%.
Bought By Many also revealed that Cockerpoos were the most popular dog breed with a 182% growth this year. This was followed by Labrador Retrievers (82%) and Cocker Spaniels (105%).
Steven O’Callaghan, senior insurance product manager at Bought By Many said: “From Edinburgh to Brighton, anyone taking a quick walk through their local park will have spotted more dogs and puppies than ever before as many owners up and down the UK welcomed home a new pet this year.
“As lockdown restrictions ease, some owners will be worrying about spending less time with their pets and it’s important that pet parents continue to maintain the same level of care and attention as life returns to normal.”
He added: “It’s fantastic to see that pet insurance has increased in line with the rise in pet ownership, as owners are clearly wanting to safeguard their pet’s long-term health, after lockdown and beyond.
“The average claim for one off treatment if your pet is unwell pet can set owners back by £448.56 and this can quickly increase if it needs further veterinary attention, so having insurance there will give owners peace of mind that they’re protected against any unwanted surprises.”
