世論 What Japan Thinks

This recent survey from DIMSDRIVE Research into pets had interesting information regarding insurance, but sadly the number of pets per person were not reported, a figure that would have helped in understanding some of the numbers.

Demographics

Between the 11th and 26th of March 2009 10,501 members of the DIMSDRIVE monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was 50:50 male and female (one more female than male, but she was lost in rounding), 1.1% were in their teens, 13.1% in their twenties, 33.8% in their thirties, 30.6% in their forties, 14.7% in their fifties, and 6.7% aged sixty or older. Additional demographic information included 51.4% lived in a house, 33.5% in a flat, 12.7% in an apartment, and 2.4% in other accommodation.

I really don’t like pet shops in Japan at all; the cages on display are far too small, and they take the animals away from their mothers too early - about six weeks is the standard figure, while they are still cute enough to sell. I remember last year seeing one male kitten that was so desparate for mother’s milk that it had taken to sucking his own nipple, pulling out a lot of his own hair and leaving a big ugly raw-red mark on his chest.

Research results

Q1: Do you have a pet? (Sample size=10,501)

Yes	35.1%
Used to have but not now (to Q8)	43.3%
Never (to Q8)	21.6%

The bigger the family, the more chance of having a pet; only 17.5% of people living alone had one, yet 47.6% of families of five or more people had one. Similarly, those living in houses were more likely to have pets than those in shared accommodation.

Q2: What kinds of pet do you have? (Sample size=3,688, those currently with pets, multiple answer)

Dog	46.0%
Cat	31.9%
Goldfish, koi carp	14.6%
Tropical fish	9.5%
Tortoise, turtle	7.0%
Bird	6.4%
Other fish	5.1%
Hamster, marmott	4.9%
Rabbit	4.8%
Insect	2.8%
Amphibian, reptile	1.5%
Ferret	1.0%
Other small animal	0.6%
Squirrel	0.5%
Other	1.2%

Q3: Why do you have a pet? (Sample size=3,688, those currently with pets, multiple answer)

Healing	83.4%
Things are more fun	39.2%
Inter-family talk increased	39.0%
Home has become brighter	33.2%
Not lonely	23.5%
Useful for children’s upbringing	19.3%
Friends have increased thanks to the pet	13.9%
Useful for crime prevention	10.4%
Fixed problem of a lack of exercise	9.2%
Lifestyle has become more regular	8.0%
Other	0.9%
Nothing in particular	6.5%

Q4: About how much do you spend per month on your pet? (Sample size=3,688, those currently with pets)

Up to 1,000 yen	22.5%
Up to 3,000 yen	26.4%
Up to 5,000 yen	19.7%
Up to 8,000 yen	6.6%
Up to 10,000 yen	10.2%
Up to 20,000 yen	4.1%
20,000 yen or more	2.5%
Don’t know	8.0%

The question does not make it clear if the cost was per pet or the sum of all pets per respondent.

Cats were cheaper than dogs, with 40.6% of people owned by cats spending less than 3,000 yen, whereas only 31.8% of dog owners spent that little.

Q5: Where do you usually buy pet food, pet goods, etc? (Sample size=3,688, those currently with pets, multiple answer)

Home centre, discount store	70.5%
Pet shop	26.7%
Supermarket	25.9%
Internet	18.6%
Drug store	16.4%
Pet goods shop	12.7%
Vet clinic	7.5%
Convenience store	2.0%
Department store	1.5%
Pet grooming salon	1.3%
Other delivery	0.9%
Other	0.9%
Don’t buy pet food, pet goods	1.5%

Q6: Which of the following services do you often use? (Sample size=3,688, those currently with pets, multiple answer)

Pet grooming	17.4%
Pet hotel	6.1%
Pet sitter	0.9%
Pet massage service	0.8%
Pet search service	0.7%
Pet walker service	0.5%
Pet counselling service	0.3%
None of the above	78.3%

Q7: Do you or your family have pet insurance? (Sample size=3,688, those currently with pets)

Yes (to SQ1, SQ2)	5.9%
Used to, but not now	3.2%
Never had any(to SQ3)	90.9%

Dogs were about three times as likely to be insured as cats.

Q7SQ1: Why do you have pet insurance? (Sample size=219, those currently with pet insurance, multiple answer)

Just in case something happened	67.6%
Vet bills are lower	56.6%
Pet got injured, ill	42.0%
Pet shop recommended it	19.6%
Often go to the vet	13.7%
Pet got older	8.2%
Vet recommended it	8.2%
Saw it on TV, newspaper, magazine, internet, etc	5.0%
Friends recommended it	3.2%
Other	1.4%
No particular reason	1.8%

Q7SQ2: What factors are important when buying pet insurance? (Sample size=219, those currently with pet insurance, multiple answer)

Details of benefits	51.6%
Monthly fees	51.1%
Entry requirements (pet health, etc)	31.5%
Number of vets in the scheme	31.5%
Age of pets that can be insured	25.6%
Kind of pets that can be insured	24.2%
Quality of plan	23.3%
Simplicity of application procedures	18.3%
Trustworthiness of insurance company	16.9%
Good riders in policy	15.1%
Insurance company’s customer service	12.3%
Had discount system (discount for microchipped pets, etc)	11.9%
Other	0.0%
Nothing in particular	10.0%

Q7SQ3: Why have you never had pet insurance? (Sample size=3,352, those who never had pet insurance, multiple answer)

High fees	32.5%
Almost never take pet to the vet	18.0%
Didn’t know there was pet insurance	11.6%
No insurance available for my kind of pet	7.2%
Pet was too old to join	4.3%
Details of benefits were poor	3.2%
Pet already had an injury, disease so couldn’t enter	2.1%
Other	3.6%
No particular reason	36.1%

This ends the questions for current pet owners; the last question is for non-owners.

Q8: Would you want to keep a pet in the future? (Sample size=6,813, those with no pet currently)

Want to have one	40.4%
Don’t want to have one	35.2%
Don’t know	24.4%

Younger people were keener on pets, and women more than men.