Berlin, 31 July 2024: While the world looks forward to the Olympic Games in Paris, many pet owners are faced with a completely different challenge: who will look after their beloved four-legged friends when they themselves are cheering or even travelling to experience the spectacle live? A recent survey by Weenect sheds light on how pet owners in France, Germany, Austria, Belgium and Switzerland look after their pets during such events (see the survey).
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The survey shows that the majority of pet owners already use professional pet sitting services: 61% of cat owners and 56% of dog owners have already hired a pet sitter. Overall, 58% of pet owners use these services. Especially during holiday periods, such as the Olympic Games, 80% of respondents entrust their pets to a sitter to ensure they are well looked after while they are away. Work commitments also lead to 10% of respondents using pet care services.
When choosing the right pet sitting service, 57% of respondents rely on recommendations from friends, professionals or vets, while 21% rely on online research. Young adults (25-34 years) in particular also use social media to find the ideal pet sitting service. The cost of these services varies, with 61% of respondents spending between €10 and €20 per day. 18% spend up to €30 and 3% even more than €30.
Safety is a key aspect of looking after pets. 70% of Weenect customers leave the GPS tracker switched on while looking after their pet. The main reasons for this are the feeling of security that the tracker provides (50%) and the ability to keep an eye on the pet from a distance (32%). In addition, 50% of owners share the location data with the care service to ensure optimal monitoring and coordination.
Despite the benefits, 42% of respondents have never used a pet sitting service. The main reasons are concerns about the pet's safety and well-being (32%), the pet's discomfort with strangers (26%) and the perceived high costs (25%). In such cases, many dog owners reduce the amount of time they are away or entrust their pets to relatives. Cat owners, on the other hand, are more likely to leave their pets alone or have relatives look after them at home.
The survey shows that during major events such as the Olympics, many pet owners rely on pet care services to ensure their pets are well looked after. With an average daily budget of €10 to €20 and the use of safety tools such as the Weenect tracker, many concerns can be alleviated and safe care can be ensured. This way, owners can enjoy the Olympic Games with peace of mind while their four-legged friends are in good hands.
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