Dads end up looking after children's pets
A dog really is a man’s best friend - because dads end up having to care for the family pet, a study has revealed.Despite being the most reluctant to get a dog researchers found it is dads who are left to feed, clean and exercise the dog.
The study of 2,500 pet owners revealed children are most instrumental in bringing a dog into the family with 28 per cent saying it was to appease a youngster.
It emerged 14 per cent of children were supposed to be solely responsible for making sure their new pet was fed regularly, cleaned and taken out for plenty of walks.
And they are, for the first couple of days. Then it's unenthusiastic dads who are left to take care of the animal.
When a pet first arrived in a home, 18 per cent of people said the children were put in charge of making sure it was fed. But in reality, just seven per cent of youngsters chipped in to help during meal times.
Seventeen per cent of children were also meant to be responsible for keeping the pet clean, but after the pet has settled in, just six per cent of children still took on this job … compared with 21 per cent of dads.
A spokesman for Eyepet, which commissioned the study. said: "It may be the children who really want the pet, but this research shows that they aren’t the ones to look after it.
"Instead, that falls on poor old dad, even though most men of the house didn't even want to get the pet in the first place."
LINKS
EyePet
Seventeen per cent of children were also meant to be responsible for keeping the pet clean, but after the pet has settled in, just six per cent of children still took on this job … compared with 21 per cent of dads.
A spokesman for Eyepet, which commissioned the study. said: "It may be the children who really want the pet, but this research shows that they aren’t the ones to look after it.
"Instead, that falls on poor old dad, even though most men of the house didn't even want to get the pet in the first place."
LINKS
EyePet
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