Uelzen Pet Study 2026
Dog and cat owners are convinced that pets increase well-being and enrich everyday life.
- According to 98 percent of dog and cat owners, pets make them happier.
- 94 percent are also convinced that four-legged friends are good for their health.
- Dogs get their owners moving, cats primarily ensure relaxation.
Uelzen. Regardless of whether you are a dog or cat lover, Germany's pet owners know that dealing with their four-legged friends makes them happier and healthier. The current “Pet Study 2026” by Uelzener Insurance comes to this clear conclusion. More than nine out of ten respondents attribute their pets to a positive influence on their mental and physical well-being. For the study, the specialist animal insurer surveyed more than 1,000 dog and cat owners in Germany.
Four-legged friends promote well-being in very different ways
“Dogs and cats enrich people’s everyday lives in very different ways,” says Dr. Felix Garlipp from Uelzener Insurance. “While dogs regularly motivate their owners to exercise more, cats often ensure peace and relaxation. What both four-legged friends have in common is that they promote their owners' well-being in a completely natural way every day.”
In numbers it looks like this: While dog and cat owners are on par with 70 percent or more approval when it comes to positive aspects such as affection, love and closeness, dog owners are clearly ahead of cat owners when it comes to activity with 68 percent (44 percent). More cat owners than dog owners associate topics such as warmth and relaxation with their four-legged friend. “Whether it’s a dog or a cat: for many people, the close relationship with their animal is an important source of closeness, joy and quality of life,” says Dr. Felix Garlipp, who heads the product and underwriting department at Uelzener. “This special connection makes the four-legged friends trusted companions and an integral part of their lives.”
The close bond with the pet is also evident on social media
The close bond between people and their pets is no longer a purely private matter. Around four out of ten dog and cat owners now regularly or at least occasionally post photos or videos of their pets on social media. The stars are clearly the four-legged friends. Only one in ten posts more photos of themselves than of their dog or cat.
“For many people, their pets are, of course, one of the most beautiful moments in their everyday lives. It is precisely these moments that they want to share with others,” says Uelzener expert Felix Garlipp. “The fact that the focus is so often on the four-legged friends and not on the owners themselves underlines the importance that dogs and cats play in the lives of many people today.”
The Uelzen insurance companies
Uelzener Versicherungen is one of the leading specialist insurers for animals in Germany. They were founded in 1873 and can now look back on over 150 years of tradition and partnership. Uelzener was the first German insurance company to develop animal health insurance in 1984. Since then, owners of dogs, cats and horses as well as commercial customers such as dog schools or horse farms have trusted in their expertise. The company has its headquarters in Uelzen, Lower Saxony, with around 350 employees. In addition, it is represented with offices in Berlin and Hamburg as well as with the subsidiaries Uelzener Service GmbH in Wegberg and Cleo & You GmbH in Hamburg.
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