November 25, 2024, 11:09 am | Read time: 2 minutes
“Look how cute he’s looking right now” – this sentence is probably familiar to many pet owners. The smartphone is quickly at hand, and another photo is taken. A recent survey shows that dogs and cats are popular motifs with their owners and are often the center of attention in photo galleries and social media.
According to a representative YouGov survey commissioned by the online printing company VistaPrint, pet owners are significantly more likely to use pets as photo subjects than themselves. Women, in particular, tend to take photos of pets and share them on social media.
A similar picture emerges from a random sample in the PETBOOK editorial office. In an average month, the percentage of photos showing pets varies between 56 and 80 percent. Selfies and other images of people, on the other hand, are relatively rare in smartphone cameras. If you look at the pictures sent and posted via WhatsApp or Instagram, you will find that at least 60 percent of the pictures are of pets.
Pets a popular photo motif
Apparently, this is similar for many pet owners, and photos of their pets are a central element of their smartphone gallery. According to the survey, 64 percent of pet owners surveyed have more photos of their pet than of themselves. By comparison, only 27% of the pictures show the owners themselves.
There is a clear difference between the sexes: 71.2 percent of women and 55.7 percent of men stated that the majority of their photos are dedicated to their pets.
Also present on social networks
Pet photos play a major role not only on smartphones but also on social networks. 48% of pet owners surveyed have already used a picture of their pet as a profile picture on social media or other communication platforms.
Regular sharing of pet photos is also widespread: Almost a third (29 percent) post pictures of their pet more often than of themselves.
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Dogs and cats on par in terms of photogenicity
However, the question of whether dogs or cats perform better in photos could not be answered in the survey. According to the data, both animal species are equally popular, with 35 percent each. Ultimately, it is up to the owners to decide which motifs they prefer.
The results of the survey illustrate how important pets are to their owners. Dogs and cats are not only everyday companions but also central motifs that enrich photo galleries and social media.
With material from dpa