Belgium: three in four owners see pets as part of the family

A new survey by the Belgian Petfood Association (Bepefa) confirms how central pets have become to Belgian households: According to the association's sixth Pet Ownership Study, conducted by research agency iVOX in April among 1,500 representative adults, 61 percent of Belgian households now keep one or more pets, and 17 percent welcomed a new animal in the past year.

‘The results clearly show that, for most people, pets have become genuine members of the family. This is reflected not only in the affection they receive, but also in the attention paid to their welfare, diet and care,’ says Elien Van Stichel, Secretary-General of Bepefa.

Cats and dogs remain the most popular companions, with 32 percent of households owning one or more cats and 33 percent one or more dogs. While the share of cat-owning households has stayed relatively stable over the past five years, the proportion of…