It seems that Santa Claus is fond of pets, with ING DIRECT’s latest Household Financial Wellbeing Index finding that 16% of households plan on buying the family pet a Christmas gift. That’s double the rate of those who plan to buy a gift to donate to charity.
As to how much we will spend on our fur-babies, we spend around $ 780 million on pet pampering over the course of a year – it’s reasonable to expect that a chunk of that would be Christmas-season related. According to the Australian National Retailers Association, the average pet-related Christmas gift spend in 2013 was just under $ 22.
“Pets really are part of the family clan and the growing trend of including them on the Christmas shopping list each year is becoming the norm,” said then CEO of ANRA, Margy Osmond. “Of those who will buy a gift for the family pet the average spend will be around $ 21.63 and men will spend one and a half times more than women on gifts ($ 27.77 for men compared to $ 17.75 for women).”
And an RSPCA poll in the UK last Christmas found that around one in 5 pet owners expected to spend more on their pet than their mother-in-law at Christmas. Ouch.
Mind you, the ING DIRECT survey found that in Australia as well, the family pet is more favoured than a number of other gift recipients, with the people we collectively plan on giving a gift to ranking as follows:
| Gift recipient | Percentage of households |
| Immediate family – parents, children, grandparents | 43% |
| Friends | 35% |
| Family pet | 16% |
| Provide gifts to charity | 8% |
| Provide cash donation to charity | 8% |
| Neighbours | 7% |
| School teachers | 4% |
| Boss at work | 4% |
| The postie | 2% |
Source: ING DIRECT Financial Wellbeing Index
It’s a shame to see posties so neglected when it comes to seasonal giving – they have, after all, had a pretty tough year. And some of them do have to put up with some of our pets – particularly dogs!
When it comes to the idea gift for our furred or feathered companions, the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) has compiled a useful list.
For dogs…
For dogs, the AVA suggests:
- A fancy dog tag and comfy collar is a great gift. It can also help provide a source of identification if your pooch escapes the garden
- A new Frisbee or rubber ball means both you and your best friend can spend time together and get exercise.
- A pair of Doggles. For the discerning hounds, consider a pair of Doggles (sunglasses for dogs).
For cats, the ASVA suggests:
- Cats love cat caves – they take cat beds to a whole new level and many are made from eco-friendly material.
- Cats also love scratching, so a new scratching post or hanging catnip toy in the shape of a fish or mouse.
For birds, the AVA suggests:
- A new bird swing or mirror. In fact why not go all out and redecorate the cage?
- A healthy hanging munch ball can be a yummy Christmas treat.
The good news is, none of these options are very expensive, perhaps leaving more $ $ to put towards some of the more neglected gift recipients on your list.
Will your pet be pampered this Christmas?
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