Pet owners
Our survey shows that we love and care for our pets but unfortunately the cost-of-living crisis means we can’t always be as kind as we would like to be.
Seven in 10 children own a pet (71%), as do half the adult population (52%). Most children with pets (79%) said it was easy to get their parents to agree to getting the pet they wanted!
We love and care for our pets
As a society, we look after our pets and they bring us great joy and happiness.
Virtually all (95%) pet owners report that they feed their pet the right amount of food for their size and type. Over nine in 10 also say their pet is registered with a vet (92%) and they give them time for daily exercise and stimulation (90%). Over eight in 10 say their pet is given regular flea treatment and is microchipped (both 86%), groomed and wormed (both 84%), and neutered or spayed (82%). When it comes to pet insurance, however, only 55% of pet owners report having cover.
Children love pets and pets love children
Most children (85%) with pets say they help to care for their pets. The vast majority play with their pets (80%), about three-quarters help to feed them (72%) and just under half go on walks with them (46%). A significant proportion of children also say they go with their pets to the vet (29%) and clean out their cage or sleeping area (25%). (Figure 1)
The survey highlights that strong bonds between children and their pets lead to emotional benefits, from making children feel safe and happy, to children showing their pets unconditional love and friendship. Children also reported that their pets help them take responsibility, showing kindness and care.
Figure 1: Children’s activities with their pets
But … the high cost of living remains a barrier to caring for pets especially for Millennials and Gen Z
The high cost of living remains a significant barrier for many pet-owning households to care for their pets in the way that they want to.
An overwhelming majority of pet owners (78%) say it’s become more expensive to look after their pet in the last year.
Almost half (49%) of pet owners are worried about being able to afford their bills and one in five (21%) are worried about feeding their pets (Figure 2). Compared to last year, there’s been an increase in the proportion of people who’ve stopped insuring their pets (from 6% in 2023 to 9% in 2024), leaving them at risk of receiving unexpected bills.
Figure 2: Pet affordability worries
These worries are higher for pet owners in London compared to other areas of the UK, reflecting the high cost of living in London.
Millennials and Gen Z are more worried about providing for their pets than those aged over 55. The younger generation is less likely to be able to afford to feed their pets (28% vs 14%) as well as provide for the welfare needs of their pets (22% vs 15%). (Figure 3)
When looking at trends over the last couple of years, slightly fewer people are worried about finances compared to last year, for example, 21% are worried about being able to afford to feed their pet this year, whereas last year it was 23%. Perhaps this is an indication that inflation has peaked, or people may have got used to budgeting.
Figure 3: Affordability concerns by age
Income determines the level of pet healthcare
Money worries mean over one-third of pet owners (36%) have taken actions to help to ease the cost of pet ownership due to financial worries and pressures. The most common action was a switch in pet food or buying less of it (12%), stopping the purchase of luxury items for their pets, such as grooming and pet sitters (11%) and cutting back on their own food and necessities to be able to feed or care for their pets (10%). In other instances, pet owners reported that they’d stopped going to the vet (4%) and considered rehoming their pet (3%) due to financial pressures. Of the 36% of pet owners who’ve had to take financially motivated actions towards caring for their pets, one-fifth (20%) believe their pets have suffered.
Unsurprisingly, households on higher incomes are significantly more likely to be able to invest in the health and wellbeing of their pet compared to those on lower incomes. This often applies to preventative healthcare for their pets, for example, 83% of households with incomes over £60,000 per year give their pets worming treatment compared to 77% of households with incomes up to £20,000 per year. When it comes to pet insurance, one in seven (67%) households on incomes of £60,000 or above insure their pets compared to just over four in 10 (41%) of those on less than £20,000 a year. This disparity is reflected in other aspects of pet wellbeing, including vaccination rates (74% for those with incomes over £60,000 and 53% for those with incomes less than £20,000 per year) and annual vet check-ups (72% for those with incomes over £60,000 and 60% for those with incomes less than £20,000 per year).
Tension between what we say and what we do: DIY pet care
Persistent financial pressures mean people are trying to find cheaper DIY pet care solutions.
There's been a significant rise in people asking ‘vet google’ whether they can give their dogs paracetamol. The first four months of 2024 have seen a 23% increase in searches for ‘can I give my dog paracetamol?’ compared to the same period in 2023.
Financial pressures also impact where and how people access information.
Vets continue to be the most common source of advice and support for pet owners, but there’s been a decline in this over the last few years. Fewer people say they’re seeking advice from professional or authoritative sources, such as vets and charities. In 2022, over one-third (64%) of people said they sought advice from a vet. In 2023, this had declined to one in six people (60%) and in 2024 it’s 57%. There’s also been a significant drop in the proportion of people seeking advice from pet or animal charities, from just under one-quarter in 2022 and 2023 (24%) to only two in 10 in 2024.
More people are turning to social media for information on pet care (up to 13% in 2024 from 10% in 2023); and an increased number don’t believe they need advice or support (up to 15% from 11% in 2022).
Eighteen to 34 year olds are more likely to seek support from social media, family and friends or animal charities, but are less likely than older people to get advice from a vet. (Figure 4)
This may be because younger pet owners are less experienced, or it could be because they can’t afford to go to the vet.
Figure 4: Sources of advice by age
Does my dog look cute in this?
While we love and care for our pets, we may not realise how some of our actions impact them. For example, 15% of adults think it’s acceptable to dress animals in clothes for fashion or fun rather than warmth. This is a slight increase on 13% in 2023.
Children were much more opposed to the idea of dressing animals up. When asked whether it’s OK to dress animals in clothes for fashion or fun, or to share pictures on social media, only 9% said it was always OK with almost four in 10 saying it was never OK (39%). (Figure 5)
Figure 5: Is it okay to dress animals up? (children)
Despite this reluctance to dress up pets, there are massive increases in Google searches for cat costumes and dog costumes over seasonal periods, particularly in the run up to Halloween and Christmas. Results for both cat and dog costumes reach noteworthy peaks in October:
- 18,000 searches in October compared to a monthly average of around 3,000 – a six-fold increase
- 12,000 searches in October compared to a monthly average of around 3,000 – a four-fold increase
While this is a decrease of 18% in searches for cat and dog costumes from October 2022, the figure is still significant. If you scroll Instagram or TikTok around Halloween or Christmas, it can seem as though everyone with a pet is dressing them up: #cutepuppy
We can’t help searching for French bulldogs
Our survey shows there’s strong opposition to harmful dog breeding practices. These findings are encouraging considering that many dogs aren’t able to live normal lives due to irresponsible selective breeding, including flat-faced dogs who cannot breathe properly.
More than eight in 10 people (83%) think it’s unacceptable to breed animals with genetic health problems. And when asked to choose from a range of topics, almost half (46%) chose ‘ending harmful dog breeding practices’, making it the most commonly selected issue.
These views echo the support that the RSPCA is receiving for its Born to Suffer campaign, where more than 16,000 people so far have taken the pledge to say ‘no’ to extreme breeding by not celebrating any of the suffering that’s been normalised for pugs and French and English bulldogs.
However, despite people's opposition to harmful dog breeding, Google searches for breeds with genetic health problems are increasing. From April 2023 to March 2024 there were over 1.3 million searches for puppies for sale, with about one-third of these (225,300) for Bulldog, Dachshund, and French Bulldog, an increase of 4% on the previous year. These breeds have genetic health problems and can suffer from issues such as difficulty breathing and poor back and hip mobility.
Pet owner regret
Financial concerns are fuelling an increase in the proportion of pet owners who regret having a pet. In 2023, one in eight pet owners (13%) regretted owning a pet, while this year it’s closer to one in seven (15%). A reported rise in behavioural issues associated with puppies bought during the pandemic could be further contributing to pet owners’ regret.
The high cost of living in London is notable here, with Londoners more likely to rehome their pet (4% compared to a 2% average) or put their pet to sleep (3% compared to 1% national average).
Kindness Index Reality Check: Pet owner
The results
Looking at pet owners, we set the reality check goal as ‘regard for and recognition of pet welfare’. Our findings from the Kindness Index survey resulted in a score of 4.3/5 for this goal, while our analysis of real life data scored 3.8/5.
The process
For pet owners, our attitudes analysis looked at:
- The recognition of emotional experiences in companion animals (93% recognised this)
- Basic care maintenance (average of 75% of pet owners maintain basic care for their pets)
- Concern over breeding pets with genetic health problems (83% believe this is wrong)
- Dressing pets up for fun (57% believe this is unacceptable).
As a reality check, we looked at:
- Basic care maintenance from the 2023 PDSA PAW report (Footnote 1)
- Kennel Club 2023 breed registration statistics (Footnote 2) for breeds with genetic health problems (brachycephalics and dachshunds)
- Google searches for Bulldog, Dachshund, French Bulldog puppies for sale
- The available government guidance regarding responsible pet ownership and breeding.
It’s reassuring to see that the gap between attitudes and reality for pet owners is not too steep, however we can note opportunities for improvement when caring for our pets.
What we found
Our analysis of the above data sets outlined some encouraging statistics: 83% agreed that breeding animals with health problems is wrong, while the total breed registration statistics for brachycephalic (flat-faced) dog breeds and dachshunds in the UK totals less than 1% (0.6%) of the total UK dog population. (Footnote 3) Additionally, approximately 4% of cats (British shorthair, Persian and Scottish folds) (Footnote 4) in the UK are brachycephalic.
We’re aware that these breed registration statistics don’t represent breed numbers across the UK. Pets with genetic health problems are a very low percentage of the UK’s overall dog and cat populations. However, Google search data has highlighted that there’s still a desire for these breeds. There has been a 4% increase from 2022 to 2023 in searches for bulldog, dachshund and French bulldog puppies for sale. Labradors and Cocker Spaniels are often thought to be the most popular dog breed in the UK, but Google searches are now indicating differently. Between April 2023 and March 2024 there were 102,600 searches for ‘Labrador puppies for sale’ and 128,300 for ‘Cocker Spaniel puppies for sale’. Google searches for Dachshund (156,100) puppies (132,400) for sale in this period exceeded both.
The Kindness Index has highlighted that an average of 75% of pet owners in the UK maintain basic care for their pets. In this case, reality checks out. For example, the Kindness Index highlighted that 62% of pet owners keep their pet’s vaccinations up to date. This is mirrored in the PDSA PAW Report, with approximately 65% of pets in the UK receiving regular booster vaccinations. Similarly, the Kindness Index highlighted that 76% of pets in the UK are either neutered or spayed. This again is supported by the PDSA PAW Report, which highlights an approximate average of 71% of pets in the UK are spayed/neutered.
Citizens
We continue to be a nation of animal lovers: 85% of children describe themselves as animal lovers, as do almost seven out of 10 adults. However, those aged 16 to 24 don’t appear to have the same passion for animals as other age groups
Animal lovers
There is a lot of love for animals.
More than eight in 10 children (85%) aged 7–15 describe themselves as animal lovers, and almost seven in 10 (69%) adults consider themselves the same. Within those figures, there are differences by gender and age.
The youngest and oldest generations are most likely to describe themselves as animal lovers. (Figure 6)
Figure 6: Are you an animal lover (by age)
These age differences are reflected in similar questions. One-third of those aged 55 and over consider animal welfare to be an important cause to them, compared to 22% of 18–34 year olds and 19% of 16–17 year olds.
There could be a number of factors driving these differences between age groups, including the financial pressures felt by younger people. Or it may be that animal welfare has slipped down their list of priorities.
Girls and women are more likely to be animal lovers than boys and men.
Women are more likely than men to identify themselves as animal lovers (73% vs 64%). This is also reflected in responses to other questions where more women than men tend to prioritise animal welfare (35% vs 24%).
A substantial majority of the UK public were against human use of animals for our own needs. Just under one-half agreed that ‘humans should never use animals in ways that cause them harm for any reason’ (47%). This is a significant shift compared to previous years – in 2023 it was 43% and in 2022 it was 46%.
Our love for animals doesn’t always mean we understand them
An overwhelming majority of children and adults have taken action to help animals in the last year. For example:
- 79% of adults have taken action to help animals in the last year
- 60% of children have put food out for birds and 45% of children have picked up litter so animals don't get trapped or hurt
At the same time, animal welfare has slipped down the agenda. It’s no longer in the public’s top three most important causes. Mental health has been and remains the most important issue, with the 2024 survey showing that four out of 10 people prioritise it. Conservation and the environment along with physical health are the next most important (both 32%), while animal welfare and UK poverty are both at 30%.
Almost three-quarters (72%) of people think chickens have physical and emotional experiences and can feel pain. Despite this, only 38% of people thought that 'A food strategy that moves away from intensive agricultural methods' was an important issue to address. And there’s been a significant increase (12% in 2024; 10% in 2023) in the proportion of people who think chickens are not sentient (being ‘sentient’ would mean that chickens can feel emotions or pain - Figure 7). This is clearly a contradiction.
Figure 7: Animal sentience pyramid
Our understanding (or lack of) of ‘sentience’ may play into these contradictions. The majority of children think nearly all animals can feel pain and emotions and many also think that dogs and cats – the most common pets – can communicate with humans. However, this is not the case for all animals. For example, 55% believe that fish can feel pain and emotions, but only 13% believe they can communicate with animals. (Figure 8)
Figure 8: Feelings and communication of animals
Despite these differences, there is a great opportunity for families to explore their relationship with animals together. Whether checking labelling to find out where their food comes from, taking litter home with us or teaching kids how to be respectful around pets, there are lots of ways to show children how they can be kinder to animals. We believe that all animals have emotions and deserve to have a fulfilling life of their own. Animal sentience is relevant to everyone and our everyday actions and decisions impact on animals, both directly or indirectly. The next generation are key to creating a better world for them.
Kindness Index Reality Check: Citizen
The results
To measure the kindness of citizens, we focused on animal sentience and set the goal as ‘animal sentience is recognised and actions taken by the public to support this’. Our findings from the Kindness Index survey resulted in a score of 3/5 for this goal, and our analysis of real life data scored 3.3/5.
The process
For citizens, our attitudes analysis looked at:
- The recognition of emotional experiences in animals (average of 58%)
- Identifying as an animal lover (68%)
- Animal welfare as a priority and an important cause to address (56%)
- The perceived acceptability of using animals in entertainment shows (53% view this as unacceptable).
Reflective of the goal total, these scored relatively averagely across all of the criteria. However animal welfare was ranked as the fifth most important cause in the Kindness Index findings. This provides a promising outlook for the future of animal welfare. As a reality check for citizens, we have looked at:
- Viewing figures and Ofcom complaints for I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
- Interest in and attendance at horse and greyhound racing events
- Charitable investments
- RSPCA volunteer numbers.
What we found
The indicators for this goal scored relatively consistently and the good news is that the results for attitudes and reality were aligned. But, there is definitely room for improvement in improving and raising awareness of animal sentience across society. Scoring similarly, the Kindness Index identified that 53% of the UK views animals being used in entertainment shows as unacceptable and real life data identified that I’m a Celebrity… viewing figures decreased by 23% in 2023 compared to 2022. The great news is that people care about animals in entertainment and when they see something they don't like, they are switching off. With the public's help, we will continue to speak up for animals in TV, in film, on social media and other entertainment.
Consumers
Progress is slow around people buying higher quality welfare products and/or reducing their consumption of animal products.
Food glorious food
The survey revealed slight increases in the proportion of people buying higher welfare meat, eggs or dairy products (69% in 2024 vs 67% in 2023). The bump seems to be from those who now ‘sometimes’ buy higher welfare meat, eggs and dairy.
Data also shows that there are more people checking labels to see how animals are being farmed/kept (61% in 2024 vs 59% in 2023). Again, the increase seems to be in those who ‘sometimes’ check the labels.
Though slight, these increases are good indicators that our eating habits are changing. RSPCA Assured’s longstanding ‘Eat Less, Eat Better’ campaign is all about making small changes to eat higher quality animal welfare products to improve people’s health, animal welfare and the planet. Moving from ‘never’ to ‘sometimes’ is where the change is likely to be most significant in terms of better outcomes for animals and the wider environment.
But food choices remain complex
Most children say they eat animal products. (Figure 9) As they get older, the proportions shift slightly. For example children aged 13–15 were less likely to eat meat or fish compared to younger children aged 7–9 (90% vs 94% for meat, 80% vs 86% for fish). This may reflect the greater choices that children have as they get older. Four in 10 children (41%) thought it was always ok to eat meat or fish every day.
The survey also reveals slight decreases in the proportion of people who have reduced the amount of animal products they eat (31% in 2024 vs 34% in 2023) and who have changed their consumer habits out of concern for animals (25% in 2024 vs 28% in 2023).
Figure 9: Children’s consumption of animal products
Sentience and food don’t always combine
Almost three-quarters (72%) of people consider chickens to be sentient. And feeding birds was the most common action taken to help animals over the last 12 months, with almost half feeding them (47%). But many of us ignore the suffering of billions of chickens who are intensively farmed – bred quickly in overcrowded and under poor health conditions. More than 90% of the 1 billion chickens estimated to be farmed in the coming year live in dimly lit and overcrowded conditions. This is the most pressing animal welfare issue in the UK, due to the scale and extent of suffering, but only 4 in 10 (41%) of respondents reported that they thought the RSPCA should prioritise action on intensive farming.
Many factors contribute to people’s choices on food, including price, taste, health, habit and convenience. To have an impact on people’s decisions, we require a greater understanding of how these factors combine in different households and over time. Higher welfare products still tend to be more expensive and are too high a barrier for those who may want to make different choices. But there are windows of opportunity to improve the lives of farmed animals.
Over half (55%) of people say they’d be willing to pay more for products where the animals haven’t been kept in cages on farms. Almost half (48%) say they’d pay more to avoid products where animals haven’t been stunned before slaughter, and 46% would pay more to avoid products involving the transportation of live animals. Closely following this, 45% say they would pay more to avoid products where calves have been separated from their mothers on dairy farms within 48 hours of birth, and 45% to avoid the beak-trimming of poultry.
Kindness Index Reality Check: Consumer
The results
For consumers, we drew on our own campaigns and set the goal as ‘Eat Less, Eat Better’. Our findings from the Kindness Index survey resulted in a score of 4/5 for this goal, and our analysis of real life data scored 1.5/5.
The process
For consumers, our attitudes analysis looked at:
- The attitudes data for the frequency of purchase of higher welfare food products (69% always/sometimes purchase these products)
- The reduction in meat, dairy and animal product consumption (an average of 18%)
- Welfare and environmentally driven motivations for purchase, such as checking labels before purchasing (61%)
This highlighted mixed but promising overall results. Reality-wise, we looked at:
- People who have purchased higher welfare products
- The number of species reared on RSPCA Assured farms as a percentage of the UK total for that species
Using these data metrics highlighted a large disparity between attitudes and reality under our consumer goal, with the reality being far worse in terms of behaviour.
What we found
61% of the UK population checks the labels on meat and dairy products for welfare and/or environmental reasons before purchase, however, only 21% state that they purchase higher welfare and/or RSPCA Assured products. This is a stark difference and we would want to see these behaviours become more closely aligned. These comparisons also present a call to action with regard to the number of farms committed to higher welfare farming schemes. Currently, only 11.7% of farmed species in the UK are reared under RSPCA Assured standards.
As part of our strategic ambition, we would like to see this percentage increased to 50% of animals being farmed to a higher welfare standard by 2030. Our farm animal welfare standards are the most comprehensive welfare-focused standards in the world. These standards have been independently proven to make lives better for millions of animals every year. It is the difference between a hen spending her life in a cage, or not. A mother pig giving birth in a farrowing crate, or not. Pigs having comfortable bedding to sleep on, or not. It means salmon has compulsory veterinary health welfare plans, and stocking density is half that seen in America.
As part of our strategic ambition, we would like to see this percentage increased to 50% of animals being farmed to a higher welfare standard by 2030. Our farm animal welfare standards are the most comprehensive welfare-focused standards in the world. These standards have been independently proven to make lives better for millions of animals every year. It is the difference between a hen spending her life in a cage, or not. A mother pig giving birth in a farrowing crate, or not. Pigs having comfortable bedding to sleep on, or not. It means salmon has compulsory veterinary health welfare plans, and stocking density is half that seen in America.
Role models
The new UK Government should know that animal welfare is a priority for a large majority of the public, and many look to the government as a role model. Of course, there are also other role models across education and tech sectors who influence norms and behaviour.
High expectations of ourselves
The public has high expectations of themselves and other individuals around taking responsibility for animal welfare. Nearly one in eight people (77%) say that individuals should take responsibility for animal welfare. In addition, there’s a strong desire from the public for institutions, especially governments and schools, to play their part in both legislation and education.
When asked which animal welfare issues are most important, almost half of respondents (46%) chose ending dog breeding practices, making it the most commonly selected issue. This was followed by stopping the illegal puppy trade (41%) and improving legislation to protect wildlife (40%), a food strategy to move away from agriculture (38%) and replacing animals in experiments with humane alternatives (34%).
The new UK Government should know…
The new UK Government should know that 84% of respondents believe animal welfare should be protected through legislation and almost two-thirds of people (64%) believe the UK Government is responsible for animal welfare.
The public pressure on the UK Government to do more on animal welfare after it dropped the Kept Animals Bill has made an impact. Together with pressure from others, including Animal Aid, Wildlife and Countryside Link, and the Born Free Foundation, the RSPCA’s broken promises campaign has kept the pressure up. And it’s working. Recently, live exports have been banned. Bills on livestock worrying and puppy smuggling were progressing through Parliament, but stopped once the July 2024 election was called. These issues must remain priorities for the next UK Government
But, as is too often the case, there is still so much more to be done for animal welfare. The previous government failed to ban shock collars and has not delivered the promised consultation on cages in farming. It will be up to campaigners to engage and support the public, who can hold the new government to account on animal welfare and encourage them to re-prioritise animal welfare. We want to see the new government re-commit to the promises the previous government didn’t deliver on and push even harder for positive animal welfare. Our policy ‘asks’ include, but are not limited to, a more compassionate food system - including a complete phase out of cages in farming, the abolition of trail hunting, investment into new non-animal technologies so the UK can move closer to ending scientific testing on animals,and measures put in place to curb extreme breeding in order to reduce the amount of pets being forced to live miserable lives.
There’s still more to do
The good news is that a majority of people (65%) think the UK treats animals better compared to other countries and that, when taking a 50-year view, animal welfare has improved (70%). (Figure 10)
The less good news – or the opportunity – is that with only about one-third (35%) of people thinking animal welfare has improved over the last five years, there is the potential to do more. It provides us, the RSPCA, Scottish SPCA and USPCA, with motivation to support people to rethink their relationships with animals and recognise the changes we can all bring about for them.
Figure 10: Animal welfare in comparative perspective
Teaching and education
Responsibility for animal welfare doesn’t just lie with the government.
Echoing results from the last few years, there is overwhelming support for animal welfare to be taught in schools. Almost one in nine (89%) felt that including animal welfare in school curriculums carries important benefits. The top three benefits are as follows
- It helps pupils to understand the impact of their actions on animals (73%)
- It helps pupils better care for animals (54%)
- It increases compassion for animals (52%)
While we will continue to press national and devolved governments to include animal welfare on school curriculums, the RSPCA’s animal education website offers a range of activities and information for school-age children.
Social media
It’s crucial to try to better understand the role that social media can and does play in influencing behaviour.
Data presented through the survey paints a complex picture. Our findings suggest that tech platforms need to do more to regulate content which promotes cruelty and abuse, or encourages activities and trends that deliberately or accidentally harm animals.
More people are turning to social media for advice and support about animals. It was used by 13% of pet owners in 2024 compared with 10% in 2023 and 12% in 2022. Young people are more likely than older generations to seek advice through social media (22% vs 7%). Much of this content will be positive and supportive, but a significant proportion will be negative, perhaps containing misinformation and behaviour that’s harmful to animals.
Animal cruelty
Younger people are more likely to have witnessed animal cruelty. Those aged 16–17 were most likely to witness animal cruelty (52%). Among children aged 7–15 about one-third (33%) had seen someone hurting an animal, with 13–15 year olds reporting the highest incidence of this (40%).
Online cruelty is prevalent. Over four in 10 (43%) of 16–17 year olds had witnessed cruelty online, which is almost double the frequency of the wider adult population (22%).
The incidence of cruelty observed on Facebook has declined from 46% in 2023 to 39% in 2024. This drop may stem from several factors, including a decrease in the overall sharing of cruel content on the platform and/or improved regulation by Facebook to remove such content. It could also reflect Facebook’s users, who tend to be Millennials. Cruelty has been witnessed more frequently by younger people, who tend to be on platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat.
Despite younger people being the most likely to have witnessed animal cruelty online in the last 12 months, they’re also the most likely to think that fewer people are sharing cruelty towards animals online (20% of 16–17s and 18% of 18–24s vs 4% of 65s and over).
Animals being used for entertainment in shows was considered acceptable by 15%, an increase from 12% in 2023. Using real animals in TV and films instead of creating digital versions was considered acceptable by one-fifth (20%). Children were also asked a similar question with similar results. One-quarter thought it was always OK to use real animals on TV (25%), with another 60% saying it was sometimes ok.
The Online Safety Act includes laws prohibiting animal cruelty being shared online. We’ll continue to encourage individuals to report any instances of animal cruelty they witness online and call for social media companies to respond swiftly to remove harmful content.
Information and influencers
Parents and carers are the most common source of information for children, with two-thirds of children (66%) getting their information from them. But online media, such as social media animal videos, and Google also feature prominently.
When asked about good role models, children mentioned many of the nation’s favourites such as David Attenborough and the RSPCA’s president Chris Packham. Teachers, friends and family members also featured.
From David Attenborough to teachers and grandparents, there are a wide range of role models educating and influencing children across a range of TV and social media platforms.
Common answers to the question “Who is a good role model to you on the topic of animals?” include:
- My Grandparents
- David Attenborough
- Animal charities and wildlife professionals
- My parents and carers
- Social media presenters, for example Coyote Peterson
- Vets
- Friends who have animals
- Paul O'Grady
- Chris Packham
- The SuperVet
- Steve Backshall
- Megan McCubbin
- My teacher
- The Irwins
- Other family members (aunts and uncles)
Kindness Index Reality Check: Role models
The results
We want to see the ‘establishment of supportive role models’ recognised in attitudes and real life. Our findings from the Kindness Index survey resulted in a score of 3.5/5 for this goal, and our analysis of real life data scored 3.3/5.
The process
The data for attitudes towards role models looked at
- The percentage of those witnessing animal cruelty online (22%)
- People who believe governments should have more responsibility for animal welfare (65%)
- Those who have taken part in a campaign to improve animal welfare (13%)
- People who see benefits to animal welfare being taught in education (89%).
Attitudes towards role models were consistently high on the whole. However, a low number of people campaigning to improve animal welfare led to a noticeable drop in the goal score. Considering the reality of role models, we chose to look at:
- The presence of government legislation and actions in place for animal welfare for all animals
- The number of times ‘animal welfare’, ‘RSPCA’ and ‘SSPCA’ were mentioned in parliamentary sessions (including debates)
- The number of government petitions and debates targeted at animal welfare that were live in 2023
These comparisons showed a similar outlook towards the impact of role models for animal welfare.
What we found
Animal lovers were appalled by a string of broken animal welfare promises and the dropping of the Kept Animals Bill, which would have changed millions of animals’ lives. Public pressure towards the government is reflected in real life. According to the Kindness Index survey, 65% of the UK believe the government should have more responsibility for animal welfare.
In 2023 there were nine open petitions and nine debates across the government (including Scotland) relating to animals and animal welfare. It is encouraging to see that animal welfare is seemingly being reconsidered as an important government priority and its representation in petitions and debates. However, animals are facing some of the biggest challenges in our history so there are huge opportunities for the Government to do more. An analysis of mentions of the terms ‘RSPCA’, ‘animal welfare’ and ‘SSPCA’ across devolved parliamentary discussions, highlighted that in 2023 there were 24% fewer mentions of these terms than in 2022.
Connected to nature
We know that the future of animals is linked with our own future and that of the planet, and so protecting wildlife and their habitats is key. But putting this into practice is difficult.
Genuine concern about wildlife
Over three-quarters of respondents (76%) think that human survival depends on protecting the survival of wildlife. This is a significant increase compared to the 2023 Animal Kindness Index, where it was 68%. Almost everyone is keen to protect wildlife in the countryside (95%) and a significant majority is keen to protect wildlife in towns (92%).
Children identified David Attenborough as a key role model for animals. This provides an opportunity to think about how children are exposed to and interact with wildlife content, in particular how it can reach younger audiences through more traditional media, such as TV programmes and documentaries, and social media channels.
The survey revealed that almost seven in 10 people (69%) are worried about the future of wildlife in the UK, and this increases to 77% of people who are worried about the future of wildlife around the world. Those aged 55–64 were the most concerned about the future of wildlife in the UK and around the world (71% and 80%). These figures are very similar to the 2023 Animal Kindness Index where 70% were worried about the future of wildlife in the UK and 76% were worried about the future of wildlife around the world.
But our concerns don’t seem to translate into action for wildlife. Compared to previous years, the survey has revealed slightly fewer people taking actions to help wildlife, such as reducing their use of single-use plastic (46% in 2024 vs 50% in 2023) and creating a habitat for wildlife (28% in 2024 vs 30% in 2023). At the same time, we’ve seen greater numbers of volunteers at the RSPCA. Last year, we launched our Wildlife Friends initiative as part of the Big Help Out, encouraging people to take simple actions in their own outdoor space and community to boost and protect wildlife in these areas, and this saw 2,406 individuals carry out acts of kindness for wildlife. This is in addition to the 2,674 micro-volunteers and 455 animal rescue volunteers we are proud to have the support of across the UK.
Our responsibility to the public
With over half of people (56%) expecting the RSPCA to protect wildlife, we’re campaigning to change firework laws to protect animals, including wild animals, as well as for animal-friendly firework alternatives to minimise the distress fireworks cause to wild animals.
Kindness Index Reality Check: Connected to nature
The results
To assess our connection to nature, we set the goal that ‘actions are taken to promote animal welfare and kindness’. Results from the survey scored 4.3/5 for this goal, and our analysis of real life data scored 3.3/5.
The process
Our attitudes approach for connected to nature looked at:
- The recognition that there are links between wildlife and human survival (76% believe that they are linked)
- The importance of protecting wildlife through legislation and regulations (92% believe this is important)
- Public worries (69%) for the future of wildlife in the UK
These all scored highly, showing that being connected to nature was a priority for the UK public. In the reality of how connected we are to nature, attitudes outperformed reality. The reality of how connected we are to nature was analysed through:
- The presence of government legislation and commitments for wild-animal welfare
- Involvement in community litter picks
- RSPCA wildlife volunteer numbers.
What we found
69% of the population are worried about the future of wildlife in the UK. A further 76% recognise that there are links between the survival of humans and wildlife. Despite this, less than 1% of the population take part in community litter picks. However, taking data from the Great British Spring Clean and Great British Beach Clean, we can see there are small volunteer increases year on year.
There was a 3% increase in volunteer numbers in 2023 from 2022, which paints a more promising picture. In 2023, more than 5,000 individuals across England, Scotland and Wales volunteered for the RSPCA, either as a Wildlife Friend, Microvolunteer or Animal Rescue Volunteer, which we hope to see increase in the coming years. These volunteers completed tasks such as building neighbourhood corridors, taking part in our campaigns and helping out with our pet food bank transfers.
Conclusion and recommendations
A world that is better for animals is better for us all. Working together, everyone for every animal, to celebrate the bond we share will hopefully inspire even more people to take action. In our 200th year, we have launched our million-strong movement for animals to inspire everyone to create a better world for every animal.
The 2024 Animal Kindness Index continues to fill us with optimism, as people’s values and desire to be kinder to animals are strong.
The new UK Government presents a huge opportunity to drive change for animals, as does supporting and encouraging people to speak up for animals or find out how they can make changes in their own lives.
The Animal Kindness Index will continue to help us all move closer to achieving that goal. The RSPCA’s priorities include the following.
1. Ensure that animal welfare is a priority for the new UK Government
With the Kindness Index highlighting that 84% of the public believe animal welfare should be protected by governments through legislation, we will continue to put pressure on the new UK Government to make animal welfare a priority. Commitments we want to see included in the first year of parliamentary activity include: legislation to tackle the puppy smuggling trade; the abolition of trail hunting; and a consultation on phasing out cages in farming.
2. Include animal welfare in the curriculum
The 2024 Children & Young People’s Kindness Index has shown that teachers are key role models for children and young people in terms of where they get their information about animals. The Kindness Index also showed that 89% of the population believe there are benefits to including animal welfare in the curriculum. We want to help increase awareness and understanding of animal welfare among all learners. The Welsh Government has already introduced a module on empathy and animal welfare in its new curriculum. We would like to see this replicated across the UK. We would also like to see a module on animal welfare and animal protection being introduced into the new GCSE on Natural History.
3. Develop and implement legislation for healthy and happy dogs
We are a nation of dog lovers and want to see improvements in the way they’re treated and protected to better reflect this. We’re asking for the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to be updated to specify that all pets, including dogs, are bred to a genetically healthy standard to prevent extreme features and the likelihood of suffering due to health problems. We also want to see more legislation and guidance in place around promoting responsible dog ownership.
4. Review and update the scope of the Animal Welfare Act 2006
We want legislation to protect all animals that are sentient, meaning they’re capable of experiencing positive and negative feelings that matter to them. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 only protects vertebrates (mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fishes), but the 2022 Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act also includes some invertebrates – cephalopod molluscs, such as octopus and squid, and decapod crustaceans, including crabs and lobsters. The 2006 Animal Welfare Act permits the Secretary of State to extend the definition of 'animal' to include invertebrates. We’re calling for the scope of the Animal Welfare Act to be extended to cephalopod molluscs and decapod crustaceans, now that these have been recognised in law as sentient beings.
5. Social media companies need to take responsibility for removing content featuring the abuse of animals on their platforms
With 43% of 16-17 year olds reporting witnessing acts of animal cruelty online, social media companies need to step up and more effectively regulate and remove content featuring animal abuse online. The new Online Safety Act - currently being implemented - makes it a legal requirement for social media companies to remove content showing ‘serious’ violence or injury to an animal. We want to see social media companies actively promoting to users how to report this cruel content, and making a concerted effort to swiftly remove it.
The Kindness Index: Reality Check
Using our Kindness Index: Reality Check metrics, we can see that, from an attitude perspective, the UK’s kindness is predominantly directed towards our pets, nature and farm animals. However, the reality is very different for farm animals, as consumer realities are the least progressive for animal welfare, with citizens and our connection to nature also falling short of the UK’s expectations.
Overall, attitudes scored 3.8/5 and realities scored 3/5. While it’s not surprising that we think that as a nation we’re kinder to animals than we actually are, these scores highlight that there’s work to be done to strengthen our ‘animal lover’ identity and push harder in all areas for more positive behaviours and commitments towards animal welfare.
Footnotes
Footnote 1: PDSA, 2023, PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report 2023: The essential insight into the wellbeing of UK pets, https://www.pdsa.org.uk/media/13976/pdsa-paw-report-2023.pdf
Footnote 2: The Kennel Club, Breed Registration Statistics, https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media-centre/breed-registration-statistics/
Footnote 3: The Kennel Club, Breed Registration Statistics, https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media-centre/breed-registration-statistics/
Footnote 4: Cats Protection, 2023, CATS Report: Cats and their Stats UK 2023, https://www.gccfcats.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CP-Report-2023.pdf
Find out more
About the research
The report from the RSPCA, Scottish SPCA and Ulster SPCA surveyed more than 7,000 people to understand how the UK population thinks, feels and acts towards animals.
The 2024 Animal Kindness survey is the third in this series. In total, 6,053 UK adults and 1,297 children (aged between 7 and 15) were surveyed by YouGov online. Sixteen and 17 year olds were included in the adult dataset for the first time in 2024. The results have been weighted across both surveys to be representative of the UK population. When comparisons are made with previous years, it is done on the basis of those aged 18 and over.
We have analysed Google search data to look at people’s behaviour and drawn on resources across the RSPCA, Scottish SPCA and USPCA.