Children and Pets Survey 2025
Discover What Children Think About Pets
PEP Children & Pets Survey 2025
Welcome to the UK’s first nationally representative study exploring how children aged 7–11 understand, interact with, and care for pets.
Commissioned by the Pet Education Partnership (PEP) and conducted by YouGov, this groundbreaking survey reveals essential insights into children’s knowledge, behaviours and attitudes towards animals – from how they learn about pet care to their emotional connection with animals.
Over 1,000 Children Surveyed
Our research captured the voices of 1,024 children aged 7 to 11 from across the UK. The sample was carefully balanced by age, gender, location and household background to ensure a nationally representative picture.
65% Live with at Least One Pet
A significant 65% of children surveyed reported living with at least one pet – ranging from dogs and cats to fish, rabbits and reptiles. This gives us a unique window into how everyday interactions at home shape children’s attitudes toward animals.
The remaining 35% who live without pets also shared valuable perspectives on what they’ve learned, where they get their information, and how they feel about pets in general.
These insights allow us to understand not just what children know about animal welfare, but why they think and act the way they do – critical knowledge for anyone involved in education, animal welfare or child development.
Key Themes Include:
- Pet welfare knowledge
- Emotional understanding of animals
- Experiences – positive and challenging
- Preferred learning methods
- Demographic insights and more
Why it Matters
This research fills a critical gap in our understanding of how children perceive and interact with animals. The findings are helping PEP and our partner charities shape better, more informed educational resources – ensuring that all children in the UK have the tools to become responsible, compassionate pet owners.
About PEP
The Pet Education Partnership is a collaboration of the UK’s leading animal welfare charities, working together to deliver consistent, evidence-based animal education to children aged 5–11. Together, we’re building a generation that understands, respects, and protects animals.
