Pet owners have more photos of animals on their phones than family

Almost two-thirds of pet owners admit they have more photos of their pets saved on their phones than of their friends and family, new research reveals.

A survey by insurer Petplan, to mark its 50th anniversary, shows 50% of owners say they have their phone screensaver as their pet, while 30% admitted they regularly clear storage space on their phone to make room for more photos of their pets.

In addition, 47% of owners claim photos of their pet receive better engagement on social media than pictures of themselves, meals or holidays, and two thirds said pet-related content is the type of post they are most likely to stop scrolling for.

The survey reveals that 44% of owners use photos to monitor their pet’s health, tracking changes in weight, injuries, lumps and behaviour over time, while over half said scrolling through pictures of their pet instantly boosts their own mood.

Petplan is marking its anniversary by attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the largest online photo album of animals. The insurer has invited customers past and present to upload photos of their pets and help create a lasting celebration of the 25million pets Petplan has supported over the past five decades.

Jo Maclennan, at Petplan, said: “The research shows just how important pets are in people’s everyday lives, and we’d love as many of our customers, past and present, to help us make history by uploading their favourite pet photo and become part of our Guinness World Record attempt.”