Preventative healthcare in companion animals: understanding owner triggers and changing behaviours

Britain is a nation of pet lovers, with 53% of all households having a pet (PDSA, 2012). It seems people are very much aware of the benefits pets bring to society as hardly a day goes by without new statistics or a news story being published about how much pets benefit people, and how people would do ‘anything’ for their pets. Yet this love is not always transposed into knowledge, and there remains a lack of understanding of what pets need in order to remain healthy — something borne out by publications such as the series of PDSA Animal Wellbeing Reports, the most recent being in December 2013 (PDSA, 2013). Many owners are unaware of the Five Welfare Needs (which are part of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (DEFRA, 2006)) of their pets which means they are (unintentionally) failing to take preventative healthcare measures on their behalf. A better dialogue is required between pet owners and experts such as veterinary nursing professionals. This will help to ensure that owners take responsibility for their pets' healthcare and animals remain healthy throughout their lives.