The UK is well documented as a nation of animal lovers, so it should come as no surprise that we have just as avid an interest in our furry friends on social media as we do in the real world.

However, national pet charity Blue Cross is appealing for Britons to “put love above likes” today, after new research revealed that one in seven people (14%) would choose a specific breed of cat or dog based on the number of “likes” they think the pet will get on social media.

The research was conducted by Blue Cross to encourage pet owners and would-be pet owners to put love above social media ‘likes’ when choosing a pet and instead consider the unique and individual qualities of every pet, regardless of breed.

The tendency to think about potential “likes” when choosing a pet is arguably a consequence of the explosion of pet content online in the last few years and rising popularity of certain breeds like the French Bulldog and the Pug.

The charity’s research also showed that over two thirds of Brits (67%) follow a feed on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest that is “run by” or dedicated to a specific breed or animal, while 10% of us follow over 10 animal accounts.

What’s more, the research suggests a direct connection between the quantity of pet images on social media and the breeds Britons choose to bring into their homes: one in six (12%) pet owners or would-be pet owners said that although they conducted thorough research into a certain breed before choosing their new pet, they were initially attracted to the breed because of images seen on social media.

Please remember – do NOT add to the Cat Crisis say the RSPCA.

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/cats/health/neutering

Tackling the cat crisis

The cat population in the UK has reached crisis point. Despite subsidised neutering schemes from rescue organisations, more and more cats are coming into our care and less homes are taking in cats. Our centres are full and we’re left to pay expensive private boarding fees. So if you can, give one of these cats a loving home and if you already have dogs then check out this guide by DogBlog on how to introduce cats to your dogs.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/rspca-full-cat-crisis-charity-3341187