Many people would rather stay at home when their beloved dog or cat is not feeling well. According to a new survey by M&S Pet Insurance, people will cancel their dates if their pet is not well.

According to the research, 52% of the respondents would choose their pet over their partner in cases where there is unexpected illness. Only 26% of men will choose relationship which shows that people love their pets so much.

David Wells, the head of the insurance said that he was not surprised with the results.

“Pet owners often have a close bond with their animals as they are often a predictable presence in our ever-changing lives, providing unconditional love, emotional support and companionship,” he pointed out.

“Therefore, when a new partner comes along it is not surprising that they need to love the pet as much as the person.”

There are also people who are willing to put their work at risk for the sake of a sick pet. It was found out that 11% of the owners stayed at home to nurse a sick pet and a similar proportion have taken time to grieve for a lost pet.

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Seven guide dogs need homes temporarily while their owners are away. Volunteers will be trained so that they can look after the dogs.

According to the local Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, it would be better if the boarder will be able to look after the dogs all of the time. The candidates would be those who are retired, working from home, or those who are able to take the dog to their workplace.

Homes must be big enough to house a large dog and the garden must be safe and secure. It is preferred that there are no other pets.

The guide dog will have to walk at least twice a day and must follow a set of rules on exercise, grooming and diet.

If there is any variation in the routine of the dog, it can affect its ability to guide and if the rules are broken, the dog may have to be retrained which costs quite a lot.

At the moment when their owners are unable to look after them they’re flown to a guide dog training centre in Exeter, which is time consuming and expensive.

Ken Syvret is chairman of the Jersey branch of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. He said that,”It’s not a difficult job we’re asking people to do but it is one that is important as far as the dogs health and care is concerned.

“There are three things we need to look at, the feeding of the dog, the grooming of the dog and more importantly the walking of the dog,” said Ken.

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