Pets cost owners £3.5 billion in gadget damage
They might bring love and happiness into our homes, but our beloved family pets cost us more than just the price of feeding and vets bills. According to a new survey, the average British owner forks out hundreds of pounds every year to repair gadgets broken by their faithful friends.
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The poll of more than 1,200 UK pet owners, by SquareTrade, revealed that Britain's clumsy pets cost their owner an average of £274 on the repair of household appliances - a total of £3.5 billion a year across the whole country.
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Unsurprisingly, it was man's best friend that caused the most damage, followed by cats, rabbits and parrots. Chewing items they shouldn't was top of the list of pet crimes, causing 60 per cent of the problems.
Two thirds of owners confessed they had been forced to make an insurance claim after their animal chewed or slobbered on a device, while more than 20 per cent had broken their owner's gadget by knocking it into the toilet or spilling drinks on them.
A cheeky five per cent had taken it upon themselves to bury household items, while a fifth were guilty of damage by vomit or urination.
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But it seems British pet owners could be partially to blame, because 38 per cent put their pet's destructive behaviour down to boredom, while a further 27 per cent believed it was a plea for attention.
Following the results of its 2013 Pets Accidents Survey, Square Trade - a protection plan provider - has enlisted the help of a 'pet tester', to find out which gadgets on the market are the most sturdy.
Have you been forced to make an insurance claim because of damage your pet has caused in the home? Let us know below...
