Leaving heating and lighting on for pets could cost almost £300 a year

Dog owners could be paying almost £300 a year keeping the heat and lighting on for their pet, according to a government adviser on energy efficiency.

Head of Energy Efficiency and Policy at Leeds Beckett University Dr David Glew warns that in a large family home, leaving the heating on for a dog could add £240 to the annual bill for gas, The Daily Mail reports.

Leaving the lights on for a pet in a couple of rooms for six hours a day could cost £50 a year using modern spotlights, Dr Glew calculates, or £12 a year using LED lightbulbs.

Meanwhile, leaving a fan left on would cost only £5, but air conditioning could add hundreds of pounds more a year if left on in the whole house.

Dr Glew said: “There is no need to leave heating on for pets but if people feel they really must do it, perhaps they could consider only heating the room the dog prefers or turning down the radiator dial or thermostat.”