There is no question that domestic pet ownership is popular in Australia; the numbers alone prove that. There are also many social benefits. This section addresses the role and place of domestic pets in the community. It outlines the associated emotional, health and social benefits and suggests that pet ownership is important to all household and family types. The section concludes with a brief outline of the new field of urban animal management as it has developed in Australia.
Owning pets has always been popular in Australia and it has become more popular over time. In 1966 when market research figures were first collected, the total number of owned dogs in Australia was estimated to be 1.3 million. By 1988 there were an estimated 3.04 million. From 1978 to 1988, the number of dog owning households increased from 1.74 million to 2.13 million households (Morgan Research 1988). A recent survey conducted by Reark Research provides the most up-to-date figures. Table 1 presents the results. In 1994, there were 3.8 million dogs and 2.9 million cats in Australia. Fifty-seven per cent of households own dogs or cats. Forty-two per cent of households own a dog and 31% own a cat (Reark Research 1995).
Another recent Australian survey sampled attitudes from both pet owners
and non-pet owners. The results revealed that nearly every Australian household
either has a pet, has had a pet, or intends to have a pet in the future.
Eighty-nine per cent of present pet owners and 83% of non-pet owners had
had pets in the family during their childhood. Fifty-three % of non-dog
owners surveyed would, in the future, like one
(McHarg, Baldock, Heady and Robinson 1995).
McHarg et al. (1995) conclude that 'our involvement with pets, in
particular dogs, expands and contracts as we move through phases of the
life cycle. This is not just related to the presence or otherwise of children
in a household but also to accommodation type and tenure and the presence
of someone at home to care for the pet'
(McHarg et al. 1995, 6).
The reasons why people own pets relate mostly to companionship and pleasure (see for example, Albert and Bulcroft 1986, McHarg et al. 1995). Security also figures prominently but more often as a secondary reason people give for obtaining pets. In his commentary on social change and pet ownership, Hugh Mackay notes an emerging pattern of attitudes in the Australian community which favours increased pet ownership and a stronger commitment to the care of pets. He sees the Australian way of life being re-defined as part of a process of social, cultural, economic, political and technological change that began more than 20 years ago:
"Pet ownership fits in with a strong emerging theme in the socio-cultural
evolution of Australia in the nineties. Increasingly, Australians are talking
about the need to 'get back to basics'; to get closer to nature, to simplify
their lives; to pay more attention to domestic life; to recapture some 'traditional
values'
(McCallum Research et al. 1992, p. 30)
| DOGS | CATS | BIRDS | FISH |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8 million | 2.9 million | 9.7 million | 11.9 million |
| DOGS | CATS | BIRDS | FISH |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | 1.5 | 7 | 11.9 |
| DOGS | CATS | DOGS OR CATS | BIRDS | FISH | DOGS/CATS/BIRDS OR FISH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42% | 31% | 57% | 22% | 16% | 66% |
| DOGS | CATS | DOGS OR CATS | BIRDS | FISH | DOGS/CATS/BIRDS OR FISH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.6 million | 1.9 million | 3.5 million | 1.4 million | 1.0 million | 4.1 million |
Source:
Reark Research 1995