Love me, love my pet

• August 14, 2007
  
  
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  Single people who overly indulge the animal in their life may be harming their chances of getting a date, new research suggests.
  
  One in four men would not date a woman who had two or more cats, while a third of women would not go near a man who shared his pillow with an animal.
  
  In fact, having a pet can reduce your chances of finding love by up to 40 per cent, according to research by Parship.
  
  Despite this, nearly half (47 per cent) of Britain's 13 million singles now own a pet, with 25 per cent of them admitting that they would choose their pet over a new partner.
  
  Dr Victoria Lukats, psychiatrist and Parship's dating and relationship expert, commented: "People invest a lot in their pets emotionally, but whilst some singles may see their pets as surrogate partners or children, this research shows that these people are in the small minority.
  
  "But perhaps single pet owners would be wise to take note of this research: if there's seems to be potential for a long-term relationship developing then it might be best not to boast about how much you indulge your pet and avoid making harsh statements about how your pet comes first, especially on the first few dates."
  
  
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