Pet Populations

Getting a pet

Dogs

Cats

Rabbits

Preventive

Responsible dog ownership

Conclusion

The Knowledge Gap: What Pet Owners Don't Know About Their Pets

For more than 15 years, PDSA has worked with one of the UK’s leading research companies, YouGov, to survey a nationally representative sample of dog, cat and rabbit owners. This unique, consistent dataset gives us an unrivalled insight into how people care for their pets, how well their welfare needs are being met and how the UK’s pet population is changing. This ongoing pet research is the largest annual assessment of pet ownership, wellbeing and welfare across the UK.

Since the first PAW Report in 2011, we have tracked trends in how owners provide for their pets’ 5 Welfare Needs, benchmarked against the UK Animal Welfare Acts. The consistency of our methodology allows us to identify emerging concerns, monitor changes over time and understand the impact of societal changes, welfare initiatives and legislation on the lives of the UK’s pets.

This year’s PAW Report explores The Knowledge Gap: What Pet Owners Don’t Know About Their Pets. While most owners want the best for the animals in their care, good intentions do not always translate into the decisions and behaviours that pets need to thrive. We explore this through the lens of the Welfare Needs, to see if owners truly understand the commitment they make when bringing a pet into their lives. Understanding what owners know, what they expect and where misconceptions remain is essential if we are to support people in making informed choices throughout their pets’ lives and promote better pet wellbeing and responsible pet ownership.

A key focus of this year’s Report is responsible dog ownership which ensures dog owners know how to provide happy lives for their dogs and ensure they are safe with the people and animals around them. We explore whether owners know where to access the right information about safe training, dog behaviour and canine communication, and the lifelong commitment that allows dogs to provide positive companionship and support. These findings provide valuable evidence to support the efforts we make to improve understanding of the joy and responsibility of dog ownership, as well as helping keep both people and animals safe.

We also explore preventive health, and the steps owners can take to support their pets’ health and wellbeing, including neutering, vaccination, microchipping, parasite control, and access to veterinary care. The findings highlight areas where owner awareness and behaviour have changed, as well as where further support and education may be needed to better support pet wellbeing and animal welfare.

Another area of focus is pet acquisition, the process of getting a pet, and the decisions people make before bringing an animal into their lives. The choices made at this stage can have lifelong consequences for both pets and owners. This year, we explore the motivations and influences behind these decisions, where people look for pets and for advice, and the extent to which prospective owners research the responsibilities of pet ownership and the costs involved. We consider how a lack of research or preparation before bringing a pet home can have huge impacts on pets’ and owners’ lives.

The findings in this year’s PAW Report highlight where knowledge gaps remain and where there are opportunities for all of us to do more. By better understanding what pet owners know, what influences their decisions and where they need additional support, we can work together to ensure that every pet has the opportunity to experience good welfare and wellbeing and live their best possible life.

Key findings from our 2026 PAW Report

Interested in how the PAW Report is conducted?
You can find out more about the Report's methodology here.