Factors in Adults' Attitudes toward Pets

Abstract

Because the literature on factors influencing the average adult's attitudes and attachment to pet animals is extremely limited, this study was designed to investigate whether present pet ownership or nonownership, childhood ownership or nonownership, sex, and family size were significant influences on adults' attitudes and attachment to pets. 900 adults were given either the Wilson Pet Attitude Inventory for Pet Owners or for Nonpet Owners. Statistical analysis of responses indicated that current pet owners were more attached to pets than nonowners, that adults who had owned pets as children or adolescents were more attached than those who never owned or who first owned them as adults, that women were more attached than men, that single subjects were more attached than married subjects, and that childless subjects were more attached than those who were parents.