News

Almost a quarter of Welsh pet owners did no research before getting an animal

15 Oct 2026 2 minute read

Nation.Cymru staff

Almost a quarter of pet owners in Wales did no research before buying or rescuing their animal, according to a survey by veterinary charity PDSA.

The charity’s latest Animal Wellbeing Report found that 23% had not researched their pet beforehand, while only 15% had looked into the cost of ownership.

PDSA said the findings raised concerns about whether owners understood the care different animals need and the potential costs of keeping them.

The Welsh findings also showed that 38% of dog owners walked their dogs for 30 minutes or less each day, while 18% of pet owners believed their animal needed to lose weight.

The charity said shorter walks may be appropriate for some dogs, depending on their age, breed and health, but would not provide enough exercise and stimulation for many others.

Across the wider survey, dogs walked for less than half an hour a day were more likely to be reported as barking excessively at people outside the window than those walked for one to two hours.

The report stressed that this did not establish that shorter walks caused the behaviour.

PDSA also believes owners may underestimate how many pets are overweight. It urged owners to seek advice about managing their animals’ diet and weight.

Nearly two-thirds of Welsh respondents — 64% — said they had found their pet online.

The charity advised prospective owners to check that sellers or rehoming organisations were genuine and prioritised animal welfare, warning that irresponsible breeding practices could be difficult to identify from photographs, videos and descriptions alone.

PDSA vet Anna Ewers-Clark said: “We know that people love their pets and want to give them the best possible life they can.”

She added: “By shining a light on the blind spots identified by this year’s PAW Report, we want to support pet owners with the information and knowledge they need that will help them and their pets.”

The research was carried out by YouGov between 25 June and 16 July 2026. It surveyed 3,440 adults across the UK who owned dogs, cats or rabbits, with results weighted to represent UK pet owners by age, gender and region. A separate Welsh sample size was not supplied.

Alongside the report, PDSA has launched a ten-question online Pet Check Challenge covering pet wellbeing and practical care.

The report and further information are available at pdsa.org.uk/PawReport26.

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