TORINO – The role of pets, especially dogs and cats, within our families and, more generally, in our society is often a topic of debate and comparison between different opinions.
Now a recent Changes Unipol research, developed by Ipsos, outlines and measures the existing relationship between Italians and pets. Below, a specific focus on the city of Turin and its inhabitants (two- and four-legged).
The relationship of the people of Turin with pets
Turin is the Italian city with the most pets, with the 66% of respondents have at least one around the house. Dogs are the most present among four-legged friends in the Piedmontese capital: 46% of those interviewed, in fact, have at least one dog at home, a percentage which makes Turin the city with the most dogs among the metropolitan areas covered by the survey, while there would be at least one cat in 39% of Turin homes. Finally, other animals remain at 11%, compared to 34% who own none.
Turin is, moreover, the Italian city where the domestic companions are seen more as family members in all respects (for 92% of respondents, with Verona in second place with 89%). It is significant that none of the respondents expressed a firm “no”, with the remaining 8% still seeing their dogs, cats and other animals as very close, even if not exactly as true family members.
The main advantages and disadvantages of having a pet
As proof of the strong affection that the people of Turin feel for their animals, among the main advantages that exist in having one at home, the main choices fell on the fact that they keep company (57%) and on the joy and happiness that they bring (54%), while 32% also underlined their ability
to improve mental health by reducing stress.
Having a pet at home can however have some disadvantages, and the people of Turin have recognized this, focusing in particular on emotional and care issues, rather than on practical difficulties. Among the most chosen answers, in fact, is the one related to the short longevity of their little friends (25%, the highest percentage among the metropolitan areas analyzed). The other main negative elements are the need to find someone to look after them in case of absence (26%), the expenses necessary to care for them and keep them healthy (23%) and the time needed to dedicate to them (23%).
Time and economic resources for pets
In fact, owning a pet also translates into a commitment in terms of time and resources to dedicate to its care: in Turin, 1 owner in 6 (62%) dedicates 1 to 3 hours a day to this activity, while 14% go up to 5 hours and 7% exceeds 5 hours. Only 17% dedicate
care for their pet for less than an hour a day. The average monthly expenditure for the maintenance of their pet is 63 euros (excluding health and veterinary expenses), substantially in line with the average expenditure in the other metropolitan areas examined (66 euros). Compared to other cities, However, Turin is among those where you are best able to take care of your animals while keeping non-veterinary expenses to a minimum (second only to Florence), with 40% of respondents declaring that they manage to spend less than 50 euros a month on these expenses and only 12% spending more than 100.
As regards health expenses (vaccinations, visits, tests, interventions), the annual average for the people of Turin is equal to 161 euros, slightly below the average of the metropolitan areas surveyed (170 euros).
Traveling with pets
Turin residents are the most likely to bring their pets with them when they travel. Il 58% (highest percentage among the metropolitan areas analyzed) he has the habit of traveling with his pet, even if this can present difficulties: among these, 34% of Turin residents indicate the transport of the animal itself as particularly difficult, while 28% suffer from managing its needs during the journey; on the other hand, 27% focus on the complexity of finding pet-friendly accommodations and another 23% also highlight the same problems with restaurants or attractions.
Pets and Birth Rates in Turin
As a final point, the Changes Unipol research analyzed the relationship between having a pet and the birth rate, probing the opinions of the inhabitants of the Piedmontese capital in this regard.
62% of Turin residents believe that a pet can never replace a child; however, 31% are convinced that this can happen, because “a pet is treated in all respects like a child” (9% of cases), “it fills an emotional void” (12%) or because “managing a pet is easier than managing a child” (13%).
In any case, more than 4 out of 5 Turin residents (81%) are convinced that the causes of the birth rate in our country are not linked to the presence of dogs, cats and other domestic animals in homes and families, compared to 13 % who instead identify it as a contributory cause of having fewer and fewer children.
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