Pets and people get more out of life together – with 60% saying they feel more relaxed when with their pets

Pets and people are spending quality time together – from exercising (37%), visiting the coffee shop (19%) and even celebrating birthdays (41%), according to a new survey by PURINA PRO PLAN®.¹ And not only are pets getting more out of life as a result, people are also feeling the benefit – with respondents saying they feel more relaxed (60%), less lonely (55%), physically fitter (44%), and more confident (19%) when they spend time with their pet. Purina’s new supplement range aims to help support pets to live their best lives, enabling them to continue to do the things they love to do alongside their owners, even when they meet challenges along the way.

We all want more out of life and increasingly we’re bringing our pets along on the journey too. Purina asked over 1200 pet owners about the health and wellbeing activities they enjoyed with their pet and found that pets and their owners were getting more out of life together. Pets are joining their owners on days out – with 33% saying their pets come along on holidays and events. Over a quarter (28%) meditate and spend quiet time with their pet. And the benefits are not just felt by pets – 19% said that owning a pet helped them feel more confident in social situations and 55% said they felt less lonely as a result of the companionship offered by their pet. 

It’s well documented that pets help to support their owners’ wellbeing – whether that’s encouraging them to stay fit and active or providing much-needed emotional support during stressful times.² But pets too can face difficulties from time to time so pet parents are now looking for ways to return the kindness and support their pet’s health – and for many the answer is to be found in supplements.

It is estimated that around 40% of dogs experience some kind of health or welfare challenge during their lives.³ This can be due to traumatic injury or ill health, but can include lifestyle challenges such as moving house, getting lost, or facing changes in family structure or routines. Cats and dogs that are ageing can also experience reduced immunity, joint stiffness, or anxiety which may be exacerbated by diminished hearing or sight. All of these ‘bumps in the road’ may require support for a limited period of time, or sometimes a little longer, which may be met by giving their cats and dogs nutritional supplements. Around 25% of all pets that are fed supplements are given them all the time.⁴ 

Purina vet, Libby Sheridan, says pet parents increasingly view their pets as members of the family and want them to benefit from the same levels of care that they give themselves, “Most lifespans – for pets and people – are longer than their ‘healthspans’ which relates more to the quality of life. Many of us will have experienced ‘bumps in the road’ that affect our health and wellbeing and understand that sometimes we need help to get us through that rough patch. With that understanding, pet parents are often looking to find ways to provide additional support to improve the quality of life of their pets.”

Types of supplements given to dogs include those for joint support, to help support joint movement and flexibility, skin and coat supplements to help support skin health, coat glossiness and softness, multivitamins for overall health support and vitality, immunity support to help aid antibody production as well as relaxation supplements to help support calmer behaviour in challenging situations. Cats are most likely to be given multivitamins, or supplements to help support immunity or skin and coat health.
 

References

1. A survey of 1256 pet owners between 6.7.22 to 11.7.22
2. Elena Ratschen, Emily Shoesmith, Lion Shahab, Karine Silva, Dimitra Kale, Paul Toner, Catherine Reeve, Daniel S. Mills. Human-animal relationships and interactions during the Covid-19 lockdown phase in the UK: Investigating links with mental health and loneliness. PLOS ONE, 2020; 15 (9): e0239397 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239397
3. Wallis, Sazbo, et al (2018) Demographic Change Across the Lifespan of Pet Dogs and Their Impact on Health Status, Frontiers in veterinary science,  https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00200 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2018.00200/full 
4. Purina U & A survey, data on file, 2022

About PURINA® PRO PLAN® Supplements
A new complementary pet food range to help give your pet more from life.

Together with veterinarians, pet nutritionists and scientists, Purina has developed a range of targeted complementary supplements to help support with mobility, immunity, vitality, skin & coat and well-being.  The new range will come in various formats including powders, oil and tablets, depending on the product type and the species it is designed for.  

PRO PLAN® Supplements should be served once a day along with a pet’s usual food. For best results, use continuously as part of their daily feeding routine and follow the feeding guidelines based on a pet’s bodyweight.

The range covers some of the most common needs in pets:

• SKIN & COAT+: Helps support coat glossiness and softness thanks to selected fish oils, coming from Norwegian salmon oil and linseed oil, rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. It also contains the antioxidant vitamin E (launching in both cat & dog variants, oil format for both)
• NATURAL DEFENCES+: Helps support natural antibody production and immune health in dogs and cats. In dogs, this is thanks to the addition of yeast cell wall containing beta glucans; in cats, postbiotics are incorporated to benefit the natural defences (launching in both cat & dog variants, powder format for cats and tablet format for dogs)
• MULTIVITAMINS+: Helps sustain energy release for vitality and overall health and helps promote healthy skin & coat thanks to a complex of B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12) (launching in both cat & dog variants, powder format for cats and tablet format for dogs)
• MOBILITY+: Helps support joint health and mobility in adult and senior dogs, containing collagen, green lipped mussel, glucosamine, chondroitin and purified hyaluronic acid (dog variety only, powder format)
• RELAX+: Naturally helps maintain a positive emotional state and helps soothe excitable behaviours in adult and senior dogs, thanks to selected fish oils, a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids EPA & DHA (dog variety only, oil format)

Suitable for

• All Cat & Dog products except Dog Relax+: Combine with any type of pet food. Suitable for all breeds once fully grown.
• Dog Relax+: Combine with any pet food, except those rich in fish oils. Suitable for all breeds, except for dogs under 2kg

About Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe 
Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe believes that pets and people are better together and is committed to helping pets live longer, happier and healthier lives through proper nutrition and care. For over 120 years, Purina has been one of the pioneers in providing nutritious and palatable products made to the highest standards of quality and safety. 

Purina’s passion for pets goes beyond the advancement of pet nutrition and in 2016 Purina PetCare Europe launched the 10 Purina in Society commitments to have a positive impact on pets and society, including promoting pet adoption, pets in the workplace and helping to reduce the risk of pet obesity. The Purina portfolio includes many of the best-known and best-loved pet foods including Felix®, Purina ONE®, Gourmet® and Pro Plan®.

A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.

For more information, visit the Purina website: https://www.purina.eu/