NSW Revealed As Fashion Capital Of Australia For Dogs

NSW Revealed As Fashion Capital Of Australia For Dogs

A national survey by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has revealed it's no dog's life for pampered pooches in NSW, with owners spending almost twice the national average on doggie outfits per year!

The survey was commissioned by WSPA to launch Dollars for Collars, www.dollarsforcollars.org.au, a fundraising campaign to help improve the lives of tens of thousands of dogs around the globe who aren't so lucky.

Dog owners were also asked to rank their pets alongside family members, with an astounding 68% preferring their dog to their grandfather, while 29% of grandparents preferred their faithful friend to the grandkids!

Kyly Boldy, model, TV presenter and Dollars for Collars ambassador said, "It's clear we're a nation of dog lovers, spending an average of around $1000 per year on our dogs, including more than $40 dollars just on toys."

"Just $10 buys a virtual collar from www.dollarsforcollars.org.au to help save dogs around the world from disease, starvation and cruelty - if you love dogs it's a small donation that will make a big difference," she concluded.

WSPA estimates that approximately 400 million dogs around the world suffer on the streets but with more funding its humane dog population welfare strategy can continue to turn that situation around.

Joanna Tuckwell, project manager for the WSPA humane rabies control project in Bali said, "Thanks to a pioneering rabies vaccination program in Bali, we've prevented the inhumane culling of over 300,000 dogs on the island and demonstrated that mass vaccination is the humane and effective way to protect communities from the disease."

"WSPA programs deal with immediate issues like these, as well as addressing the root causes of poor dog welfare. Community education programs across some of our global projects, for example, help ensure long-term change and encourage neighboring communities and governments to take lasting action."

"This includes providing real solutions such as equipment, training, medicines and veterinary outreach services to ensure that local authorities and veterinary officers are able to manage stray dogs humanely."

"Our work is practical and effective, but our programs in places like Sierra Leone, Zanzibar and Sri Lanka desperately need more funding to continue - we're calling on dog lovers around the country to help make that happen by visiting dollarsforcollars.org.au."

The WSPA Dog Lovers survey was a nationwide poll of 1002 Australians aged 18 and over, commissioned by WSPA and conducted by Lonergan Research in July 2011.

We asked dog owners how much they spent on their pets annually, and how their dog ranked in popularity compared to other family members.

Key findings included:
The average Australian dog owner spent $923.71 on their dog last year. The majority of this was spent on food ($377.53), vet bills ($281.40) and hygiene & grooming ($98.31).
Female dog owners ($1036.71) spend more than male dog owners ($793.23).
Dog owners in NSW ($994.26) and Queensland ($990.84) spent more on their dogs last year than those living in Victoria ($878.75) and other states ($790.76).
NSW dog owners have the highest vet bills ($329.70; cf. VIC $262.84, QLD $282.92, others $217.90).
NSW dog owners spend the most on their dog's clothing ($17.96) - almost twice as much as Queensland dog owners ($9.68) and more than 2.5 times that of Victorian dog owners ($7.03).

Male dog owners ($18.30) spend more on training their dogs than female dog owners ($9.54).
Female dog owners ($46.09) spend more than twice as much on their dog's houses as male dog owners ($19.73).
14% of dog owners ranked their dog as their favourite family member.
More than three in five dog owners say they like their dog more than their grandfather (68%) and grandmother (63%).
Most dog owners like their dog more than their brother (53%) and sister (53%).
A smaller proportion prefer their dog to their father (39%), mother (30%), grandchildren (29%), children (18%) and partner (18%).