UK Owners Spend up to £5,244 a Year on Treats

Pet parents are willing to spend a considerable amount on treating their beloved pets, new research finds, with the favourite human treats of pets revealed as kale, cheese, and broccoli.

One in ten pet owners spend up to £5,244 a year (over 15% of their income) on pet food and treats, showing that despite the increasing cost of living, owners still put their furry friends first and spend what they can to ensure they enjoy a varied and tasty diet.

The research, carried out by pet sitting platform TrustedHousesitters shows that, on average, pet owners across the UK spend £2,733 a year on food and treats for their beloved pets.

Almost a quarter (23%) of pet owners feed their pets human food as a treat every day. Top treats of choice include chicken and cheese (48% each), with the healthier choices of broccoli, carrots and kale being the top choice for 3 in 10 (30%) owners.

A recent survey by TrustedHousesitters finds that over half of UK pet parents (58%) prefer to snuggle up on the sofa with their pooch rather than their partner, showing that pets are the top dogs when it comes to love and attention.

Over four in five (82%) owners report feeling guilty about going out for the evening and leaving their pets behind. But now, pet owners can relax at home and have the restaurant come to them!

To help dog lovers across the country spend quality time with their pets while treating them to the best food, TrustedHousesitters has created a new, free cookbook: “Dine With Your Dog - Trusted Treats & Recipes.” The cookbook features recipes that are both dog and human-friendly, so owners and pooches alike can dine together with household ingredients.

The cookbook features seven easy recipes, including ‘Peanut Butter Banana Pupcakes’, ‘Slobber-worthy Salmon Fish Cakes’ and ‘Sweet Pawtato Fries’.

In a recent TikTok video, TikTok star Chasity Hobbs (@through.the.lleaves) shares how to make delicious Pupcakes that only need a few additions to make them perfect for humans.

Angela Laws, Head of Community at TrustedHousesitters, comments, "As we have such an extensive community of pets and owners at TrustedHousesitters, we understand better than anyone the amazing bond between animals and their humans. We’re finding owners want the very best for their pets, with many regularly feeding them human food as a treat. This is one reason why we decided it was time to rewrite the cookbook and create a series of useful recipes that owners and pets alike can enjoy together."   

The full range of pooch-friendly recipes can be found in the TrustedHousesitters online cookbook.

Whenever you give your dog new food, be sure to consult with your vet if you're unsure of individual dietary requirements.