Companion Animal Economics: The Economic Impact of Companion Animals in the UK

94 Pages·2016·5.02 MB·English

by  Sophie Hall

Companion Animal Economics
The Economic Impact of Companion Animals in the UK
Research Report

Companion Animal Economics
The Economic Impact of Companion
Animals in the UK
Research Report
Sophie Hall,1 Luke Dolling,2 Katie Bristow,3
Ted Fuller2 and Daniel Mills1
1School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, UK
2Lincoln Business School, University of Lincoln, UK
3Dogs for Good, Banbury, UK
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© S. Hall, L. Dolling, K. Bristow, T. Fuller and D.S. Mills 2017. All rights reserved.
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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library, London, UK.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Hall, Sophie (Sophie Susannah), author. | Dolling, Luke, author. |
Bristow, Katie, author. | Fuller, Ted (Professor of entrepreneurship
and strategic foresight), author. | Mills, D. S., author. | C.A.B.
International, publisher.
Title: Companion animal economics : the economic impact of companion animals
in the UK : research report / Sophie Hall, Luke Dolling, Katie
Bristow, Ted Fuller, Daniel Mills.
Description: Wallingford, Oxfordshire ; Boston, MA : CABI, [2017] | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016041649 (print) | LCCN 2016043081 (ebook) | ISBN
9781786391728 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781786391735 (pdf) | ISBN
9781786391742 (ePub)
Subjects: | MESH: Bonding, Human-Pet | Pets--economics | Pets--psychology |
Health | Great Britain
Classification: LCC SF411.36.G7 (print) | LCC SF411.36.G7 (ebook) | NLM WM
460.5.B7 | DDC 636.088/70941--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016041649
ISBN-13: 978 1 78639 172 8
Commissioning editor: Caroline Makepeace
Associate editor: Alexandra Lainsbury
Production editor: Tracy Head
Typeset by SPi, Pondicherry, India.
Printed and bound by Gutenberg Press Ltd, Tarxien, Malta.
Contents
Foreword vii
Executive Summary ix
1 Introduction 1
2 Methodology 3
Techniques Revisited and Updated 4
Technique for Data-mining Public Information 6
Health Literature 7
General health 8
Physical activity and healthy bodyweight management 8
Cardiovascular health 8
Allergies and asthma 9
Mental health 10
Reliability of Information 11
3 Key Features of the Council for Science and Society (CSS)
Report 1988 13
Indicators of the Extent and Economic Significance of the
Pet-keeping Phenomenon in 1988 13
Perceived Benefits of ‘Pet Ownership’ in 1988 14
Problems Associated with Pet Ownership in 1988 15
Concluding Statements of the 1988 CSS Report 16
4 Updates on the Economic Impact of Companion
Animals to the UK 19
Consideration of the Benefits and Costs of Companion
Animals to the UK 20
Animal abandonment 21
Urine 21
Diseases 22
Accidents 22
Companion Animal Population Statistics: Current Estimates 23
v
vi Contents
Pet Food 25
The ‘Pet Shop’: the Evolution of Allied Industries in
the Companion Animal Care Sector 26
Companion Animal-related Services: Shifting
Dynamics of Services 28
Companion Animal Health: Parallels with Human Health 28
5 Indirect Costs: Extending the Scope of Economic Value 31
5A Human Health and Well-Being 31
Recovery from Major Illness 32
Prevention of Ill-health 33
Physical Well-being: Passive versus Active Ownership –
Enhanced Physical Exercise 34
Social Well-being: Enhanced Social Contacts/Interactions 37
Mental Well-being: Elevating Mood and Increasing
Mental Resilience 37
Fewer Visits to the Doctor 39
Economic Impact: A Preliminary Estimation 41
Possible Contribution to UK Healthcare Expenditure Savings 43
Step 1: UK healthcare expenditure 43
Step 2: Population estimates 43
Step 3: Doctor visits 44
Step 4: Health expenditure savings 45
5B Further Value – Animal-assisted Interventions and the
Wider Support Of Individuals with Increased Need in Society 46
Animal-assisted Interventions 46
Assistance Dogs 47
Classroom Dogs 53
Recognizing the Value of such Programmes 54
Developing a Case for Economic Benefit 55
6 Conclusion: Illustrating the Perceived Economic Impact of
Companion Animals 57
Acknowledgement 59
Afterword 61
References 63
Index 75
This book is enhanced with supplementary resources. To access the Appendix
Tables, please visit: www.cabi.org/openresources/91728.
Foreword
The relationship between people and pets is a unique bond that has endured
over many centuries. Almost half of households in the UK share their homes
with animals cared for as companions; a relationship we consider to be
valuable, enriching, mutually beneficial and fun. Because we share our lives
with companion animals in such close proximity, we each impact the other.
Increasingly, scientific evidence suggests that companion animals bring
social, health and economic benefits to individuals and society.
This report was inspired by the seminal Council for Science and Society
report Companion Animals in Society, published in 1988, which provided
a clear view of the role of companion animals in Britain, including an ex-
ploration of the economic impact of pets. The world has changed since the
late eighties: we now have an increasingly urban and aged population, with
smaller and more fragmented families. Despite this, relatively little informa-
tion on the economic impact of pets has been published since 1988. This
important report provides a modern day update and, without reducing the
discussion to a simplistic cost:benefit ratio, it includes new data from the
myriad of ways in which companion animals contribute to our society in the
UK, as well as some of the costs they bring.
This report aims to raise awareness of the important need for research
to evaluate the complex routes by which pets make an economic impact on
UK society. It aims to dispel the myth that pets are a luxury and to increase
awareness of the social, economic and health value of pets to society so that
better informed debate and decisions can be made for the benefit of people
and pets.
Dr Sandra McCune
WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition
Leicestershire, UK
vii

Executive Summary
• The aim of this report is to raise awareness of the importance of research
concerning the economic impact of companion animals on society.
• This report was inspired by the seminal Council for Science and Society
(CSS) report Companion Animals in Society (1988), and updates and
extends its evaluation of the value that companion animals bring to
society.
• Data available from the UK are used as examples throughout, but many
of the points raised relate to industrialized nations globally.
• It highlights potential direct and indirect costs and benefits of com-
panion animals to the economy, and the value of exploring these further.
• There is currently a lack of high quality data for some aspects of this
evaluation which needs to be addressed to enable a more confident ana-
lysis; however, given the scale of the potential impact (added economic
value and savings possible) the matter should not be ignored for this
reason.
• When evaluating the contribution of companion animals to the UK
economy both positive and negative aspects should be considered.
• Employing a conservative version of methods used in the best study of
its kind to date examining healthcare savings through reduced number
of doctor visits, we estimate that pet ownership in the UK may reduce use
of the National Health Service (NHS) to the value of £2.45 billion/year.
• The cost of NHS treatment for bites and strikes from dogs is estimated
as £3 million/year (i.e. approximately 0.1% of the health savings).
• We conclude that research into companion animals that relates to
their potential economic impact on society should be supported by
government.
ix