Maybe this is what Cory Bernardi was talking about.
A new survey by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has found that 3.4 million Australians will give their pet a gift this Valentine's Day, laying out $46.9 million in the process.
That means more than 1 in 3 pet owners are planning on giving their pet a gift this Valentine's Day, which makes you wonder why the other pet owners are holding out.
Dog owners will spend the most ($23.3 million — which sounds like a lot, but works out to $6.82 per dog), with daylight coming in second. Cat owners will spend just $7.9 million (an average of $4.11 per cat), perhaps because cat owners have long since accepted that the love of their pet can't be bought.
If you play the percentages, though, it's birds that come out on top — 40% of bird owners will give a gift, compared to 36% of dog owners, 34% of cat owners, 28% of fish owners, and 43% of 'other' pet owners (it's a banner year for albino alligators, then).
WSPA Australia Head of Communications Rafi Cooper was stoked with the results, saying: "It's wonderful to see how much Australians care for their pets. We truly are a nation that has a deep love of animals. However, while some Aussie pets will be lucky enough to receive a gift on Valentine's Day, there are animals around the world that aren't as fortunate. That's why this Valentine's Day I'll be giving a gift from WSPA's Really Wild Gifts online store."
Really Wild Gifts supports WSPA's work with a variety of gifts. For instance, $10 will help overworked donkeys in Palestine, a $20 disaster pack will help treat injured animals, and $99 will feed a bear in a sanctuary for two months. Each gift comes with a card that can be emailed, sent by post or printed straight away.
For more info, head to reallywildgifts.org.au or call WSPA Australia on 1300 139 772.
