Since taking a good photo of an animal can be so tricky, most of us rely on quantity instead. In fact, the average pet owner's phone contains 20% more photos of cats, dogs, and other beloved companions than of their partners, close friends, or family members.
A recent poll of 2,000 pet owners found that they store an average of 176 photos of their four-legged friends on their phones, compared with 147 photos of their partners.
Pets also outnumber other loved ones, with respondents storing an average of just 65 photos of their parents and 57 photos of their best friends.
The findings come as 46% of pet parents say taking photos of something is a way to show their love for it, while 40% agree that a camera roll is a strong indicator of who or what people value most.
Looking back through their camera rolls makes most people feel happy (51%), while others say it leaves them feeling nostalgic (36%) or even warm (33%).
And it’s easy to see why: in the past month alone, people have added an average of 20 new pet photos to their galleries. Fourteen percent take pictures of their pets every single day, with these keen photographers capturing around five snaps daily.
It also emerged that Millennials have the most pet photos on their phones (217 images), followed by Gen Z (204) and Boomers (103).
Overall, 52% of respondents see their pets as central members of their families, making them worthy of being documented at every opportunity.
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The most likely moment to turn into a mini pet photoshoot is during an animal’s playtime (62%), although 56% can’t resist snapping a picture when their furry friend is fast asleep.
Despite 68% of respondents preferring candid shots of their pets behaving naturally, 70% still reach for their phones when their companions do something unusual or unexpected.
For nearly a quarter (23%), these photos don’t just stay on their phones. Pet owners regularly share them on social media, and 48% have noticed that pet pictures receive more engagement than anything else they post.
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