2024 ‘A Good Life’ survey

In July 2024, we sent out a survey via our newsletter to animal guardians with pets registered on our New Zealand Companion Animal Register. The survey asked for pet guardian perspectives on what giving their animal a Good Life means - 3,467 people responded.

Survey purpose

By gathering insights and conducting research into how pets experience life alongside their human families, we aim to better understand the factors that contribute to a fulfilling, enriched life for companion animals.

Companion animals’ quality of life is reliant upon their humans. Whether an animal has a Good Life is dependent upon the level of knowledge, attitude, and behaviour of the person responsible for them.

Our research provides us with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of guardian knowledge, underlying beliefs, attitudes and motivations, which enables us to develop evidence-based change initiatives to support improved companion animal quality of life.

 
 

KEY FACTS AND INSIGHTS

  • 98% of respondents completed the survey about either their cat or dog, despite there being multiple different species of companion animals in their  households  

  • Whilst 99% of people believed that their animal can experience emotions and  97% of people felt their pets were very happy or quite happy, only 58% of people thought their animal could feel anger. 

  • Interestingly, 74% of people felt animals could be sad – but there was less confidence in recognising this emotional state compared to happiness.

  • When asked about what made their cats and dogs happy, the majority of people thought ‘their company’ was the most important thing for their animal’s happiness. 

  • When asked about how they knew their pet was happy, 92% of people believe purring to be a sign of happiness in their cat and 90% of people believe a wagging tail to be a sign of happiness for their dog. 

Pet owner challenges and concerns 

  • 26% of people stated that the cost of living being too high was making it hard to meet their animal’s needs. 

  • Topping the list of challenges for cats and dogs was work / life commitments, with 41% of people saying this meant they have to leave their animal alone. 

  • When asked about the worries people have about their pet, the top three areas were worries about their pet being healthy, mental stimulation and getting enough interaction with their owner. 

 

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