From birthday cakes and presents to sleeping in our beds, Britain’s pets are increasingly being treated like members of the family. We spoke* to pet owners in York and discovered that for many people, cats and dogs are no longer simply pets, they’re companions, confidants and, in some cases, practically children.
What Is Pet Parenting?
While some people just see themselves as a pet owner, there is an increasing cultural shift towards seeing pets as family members rather than simply pets. A previous study found that 16% of dog owners actively thought of their dogs as children. There’s also the term ‘fur baby’, which some owners use to describe their pets.
Signs You’re a Pet Parent
Being a pet parent goes beyond just the traditional companionship you get from them. Owners might see their pet as an equal member of the family. Their daily routines often revolve around their pets, and many spend considerable time and money on their comfort, entertainment and wellbeing.
Does this sound familiar? Let’s see what other things pet parents might do.
You Celebrate Their Birthday
We previously ran a study; do owners celebrate their dog’s birthday – with 68% saying yes!
In our most recent research, speaking to pet owners in York, we again asked them about whether they celebrate their pet’s birthday, and how Here are some of the responses we received:
“Yeah, they never know it, but they always get a little treat.”
“Our little sister does more. She’ll buy a toy for her birthday.”
“A cake every year with a candle. Treats, toys, and a hat – it says happy birthday.”
“I will always go and get him a little doggy cake.”
“We sing a song for him.”
“He gets birthday presents all wrapped up. And special food.”
“We’ve got puppies at home – it’s their nine-month birthday. We celebrate the month birthdays when they’re young.”
“They get a cake and they’ve got top hats that say party animal.”
They Sleep in Your Bed
We also asked owners whether their pet slept upstairs or downstairs or even in the owner’s bed – a common indication as to whether their pet is like a child or not. This is what some said:
“Everywhere”
“Sometimes [on the bed], but not very often. He’s got a bed at the end of our bed.”
“Everywhere. Because we’ve got a lot of dogs. I am a dog trainer, but personally I will have a dog on the bed as long as they’re well-behaved. I don’t see a problem with it.”
“Anywhere in a bungalow. But she’s on the bed with us every night.”
“They sleep downstairs in the kitchen. When we’re on holiday in a caravan they still sleep in the front of the caravan when we’re in the back. We put them to bed and don’t hear from them till we get up next morning. Whether it’s 6:00, 8:00, 9:00.”
“Upstairs. Because he’s a rescue, it’s taken him a good year to settle. We have a cupboard upstairs that he seemed to like getting into. So, we made him a bed inside this cupboard and he sleeps in there. Then he comes onto the bed in the morning.”
“She’s got the free rein of downstairs of the house.”
“She sleeps with my daughter, my grandson, in any of the other beds around the house that she can find. Because she’s got about five beds around the house.”
You Plan Your Life Around Them
Even when owners are away from their pets, many still want to stay connected.
When speaking to owners in York, we met one couple visiting from New York whose son was looking after their cats while they travelled. “Because we’ve been over here for several weeks now, he is looking after our cats. He gives us a daily update with photos as I need pictures of my babies.”
Another owner admitted they had previously used their pet as a reason to leave social occasions early: “We’ve had to sort of give our excuses to say, sorry, we’ve got to get back for the pet.”
The Funniest Pet Confessions We Heard in York
Walter the Destroyer
When asked – ‘What’s the naughtiest thing your dog has done?’, Walter’s owner had this to say: “He is naughty when it comes to balls and other people’s. There has been a number of instances in parks where I’ve ended up having to hand over cash to pay for footballs, and we’ve ruined a number of father and son experiences in various parks. Thanks to Walter.”
The Lost Engagement Ring
One owner recalled: “She did eat an engagement ring. About two weeks after we bought the ring – we never got it back.”
The Nappy Thief
When asked “What’s the most outrageous thing your pet has destroyed or eaten when you weren’t looking?’ one owner said: ‘When my wife was changing my granddaughter’s nappy. She was disturbed, came back, and the dog was eating the [poopy] nappy.”
The Teams Meeting Cat
One owner confessed their cat embarrassed them by doing the following: “Regularly on our Teams meetings at work. She’ll walk across the keyboard, and then when she got everyone’s attention, she turns around, shows them all her bum hole.”
Doing a Marley
Another owner drew reference to the Marley & Me movie when their pet misbehaved: “I think the only thing he’s ever done was when he did a Marley and he pooped in the sea. And he also did one on somebody’s sandcastle.”
Watch more of our interviews with pet owners in York, as we found out some of their pet confessions: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7h3U11fS9M0?feature=share
What Job Would Your Pet Have?
Here’s some of the highlights of what pet owners had to say when we asked them, ‘If your pet had a job, what would it be?’:
- Princess.
- Prime Minister.
- Social media influencer.
- Therapist.
- Mattress tester.
- Professional sleeper.
- Accountant.
- Sheep herder.
- Search and rescue.
- Unemployed. [Noted by several owners.]
Why Are We Becoming More Attached to Our Pets?
The Insurance Emporium’s pet insurance expert, Stephanie Balmer commented:
There has been some research to suggest that people are choosing to have pets instead of children, however this does remain a relatively low percentage of people. Our internal data analysis** shows Generation X makes up 42% of our overall policyholders, with Millennials making up 33%, and Baby Boomers at 19%.
This shows that perhaps pet ownership is strongest among the cohort of people whose children have either grown up or left the nest. However, it is also possible that for some, the age-old tradition of getting a pet before having children is still the norm, but due to a challenging economic backdrop, pets may increasingly be fulfilling a similar emotional role within some households.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Parenting
What is a pet parent?
A pet parent is someone who views their pet as a member of the family and takes an active role in caring for their wellbeing.
Is pet parenting becoming more popular?
Many owners now celebrate pet birthdays, buy gifts and see pets as important members of the household.
Do dogs/cats know it’s their birthday?
While pets don’t understand birthdays in the same way humans do, they can enjoy the extra attention, treats and activities.
Should dogs sleep in your bed?
This is a personal decision and depends on you, your dog and your household routines.
Pet Parenting: Passing Trend or Here to Stay?
As our York pet owners proved, pets have a habit of getting themselves into unexpected situations.
Throughout our interviews, owners shared stories of dogs eating chocolate, swallowing an engagement ring, destroying expensive items and even requiring emergency veterinary treatment after getting hold of things they shouldn’t.
While these stories make for great pet confessions, they also highlight how quickly unexpected veterinary bills can arise.
Pet parents go to great lengths to care for their four-legged family members, and having pet insurance could help provide support if accidents or illnesses occur. We have a range of pet policies including dog insurance, and senior dog insurance, cat insurance and senior cat insurance. Take a look and get a free, no-strings quote today!
*The Insurance Emporium conducted two days of in-person vox pop interviews with pet owners in York during June and July 2026. Interviewees were asked a range of questions relating to pet behaviour, pet-owner relationships, pet birthdays, sleeping arrangements and funny pet confessions. Quotes included in this article are taken directly from those interviews and may have been lightly edited for readability.
**The data referenced is for all pet policies between 1st August 2025 and 31st July 2026.
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