Learn English Language Why 59% of UK households own pets and what it teaches you
Pets aren’t just animals, they’re family. Did you know that India’s pet industry doubled to $3.6 billion in just five years? Or that British households now own 38 million pets, half as many as the human population? Welcome to Adept English, where we help you learn English through fascinating real-world stories like this one.
“In a world where you can be anything, be kind—especially to animals.”
▪️ Ellen DeGeneres
Now, full disclosure—I’ve always been a cat-and-dog person (despite my cat Ivan’s grumpy interruptions!). But today’s episode isn’t just about pets; it’s about what they reveal, why societies dote on "fur babies," how laws now treat pets like sentient beings, and even… pet prenups? (Yes, that’s a thing!)
By the end, you’ll master key vocabulary (grooming, custody, stray dogs) and cultural insights—from Turkey’s stray dog crisis to Spain’s groundbreaking animal welfare laws. So if you’re ready to practise English while uncovering the surprising world of pet ownership, let’s begin. Press play—your fluency journey just got fluffier.
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More About This Lesson
It's become quite common for people to treat their pets like children! Pets are so popular in the UK there are more pets than humans. In today’s English lesson, we explore the fascinating world of pet ownership; from ‘fur babies’ in India to legal ‘pet nup’ battles in the UK.
“Pets reflect the changing dynamics of modern families, often filling emotional gaps in our lives.”
▪️ Dr. Jane Goodall
Oh, and did I mention there are 38 million pets in Britain? That’s half the human population! Stick around because this isn’t just about cute animals, it’s about culture, statistics, and even a bit of law. And, we’ll tackle some surprising English vocabulary (like ‘sentient beings’, wait, pets aren’t just possessions any more?). So are you ready to learn English through something truly "pawsome"? (Sorry about that, I did think maybe I should'nt put that joke in...)
Listening to this English lesson will help:
- You learn vocabulary like "fur babies" and "pet nup" used in daily conversations.
- You understand statistics and trends discussed in real-world contexts.
- You hear clear pronunciation of words like "groom" and "dote" spelled out.
- You grasp cultural insights about pet ownership in the UK and India.
- You practice listening to natural speech patterns and transitions.
- You discover idioms like "child substitutes" explained in context.
- You engage with thought-provoking topics to boost retention.
- You learn country names and comparisons for global fluency.
- You hear repeated phrases like "sentient beings" to reinforce memory.
- You follow a narrative structure that improves comprehension.
Why does this matter for your English? First, you’ll improve your vocabulary with terms like ‘dote on,’ ‘grooming,’ and ‘custody’; words you can use in everyday conversation. Second, understanding statistics (like ‘26 million pets in 2019 vs. 32 million in 2024’) sharpens your comprehension skills for news and reports. And finally, this topic lets you discuss real-world trends—whether it’s pet culture in your country or debates about stray animals. So next time someone mentions ‘fur babies,’ you’ll have plenty to say fluently!
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Why is understanding pet culture important for learning British English?
Understanding pet culture helps you grasp everyday British life, as pets are deeply embedded in UK society. Terms like "fur babies," "pet nup," and "grooming" frequently appear in conversations, media, and legal contexts. Familiarity with these terms enhances your fluency and cultural awareness, making your English sound more natural. -
What are common British English terms related to pet ownership?
Key terms include "fur babies" (pets treated like children), "grooming" (care for an animal’s fur), "pet boarding" (pet hotels), and "pet nup" (a legal agreement for pets after a breakup). Learning these phrases helps you engage in conversations about pets, a popular topic in the UK. -
How can discussing pets improve my English fluency?
Pets are a relatable and frequent subject in British conversations. Practising vocabulary like "dote on," "sentimental," or "companionship" in this context builds your descriptive language. Listening to podcasts (like Adept English) or reading articles about pets also reinforces comprehension and pronunciation. -
What cultural insights about the UK can I learn from pet ownership trends?
The UK has a long history of valuing pets, evident in charities like the RSPCA and phrases like "part of the family." Rising terms like "pet nup" reflect evolving social norms. Noticing these trends helps you understand British attitudes toward family, relationships, and even legal changes. -
Where can I find resources to learn British English through pet-related content?
Listen to Adept English podcasts, read BBC News articles on pets, or explore UK animal charity websites (e.g., RSPCA). These sources use authentic language and statistics, helping you practise both vocabulary and listening skills while absorbing cultural context.
Most Unusual Words:
- Benign: Gentle or harmless; not causing harm.
- Grooming: Cleaning and caring for an animal's fur or hair.
- Affluent: Having a lot of money; wealthy.
- Sentimental: Feeling strong emotions, especially about memories.
- Dote: To give a lot of love and attention to someone or something.
- Companionship: Friendship or being with someone to avoid loneliness.
- Domestic fowl: Birds like chickens or ducks kept at home.
- Sentient: Able to feel or perceive things; aware.
- Custody: The legal right to care for someone or something.
- Culled: Selectively killed to reduce numbers, often used for animals.
Most Frequently Used Words:
| Word | Count |
|---|---|
| Their | 12 |
| There | 11 |
| Ownership | 11 |
| People | 10 |
| Other | 9 |
| Million | 7 |
| Means | 7 |
| Which | 6 |
| Children | 6 |
Listen To The Audio Lesson Now
Transcript: Why British People Love Pets - English Practice
Do you own a cat or a dog?
Hi there and welcome to this podcast from Adept English. I have continued my search for 'benign news stories' and a news story that I read online this week hooked my interest and made me think. So I'll share it with you. First of all, do you have one of these? Hello. That's Ivan. That's our younger cat. Not very happy at the moment and wants to go outside, I think.
Or maybe you have a dog? So today, why do we have pets? What's happening around the world with pets? Let's use this subject to practise your understanding of statistics while looking at something which is close to the heart of British culture and a subject that you may be interested in. Listen right to the end for an appeal of a different type.
Hello, I’m Hilary, and you’re listening to Adept English. We will help you to speak English fluently. All you have to do is listen. So start listening now and find out how it works.
People in India are getting more pets - more ‘fur babies’
So the news item that caught my eye - apparently people in India are buying more pets and spending much more money on their pets and not just a little bit more. It seems like quite a big change. There were 26 million pets in Indian households in 2019 but by 2024, 32 million pets in Indian households. That's quite an increase! And in the same report by the company Redseer, Indians spent $1.6 billion or its equivalent in 2019 on their pets. By 2024, this had risen to $3.6 billion a year. Again, quite a lot.
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And this was on pet products and pet services. 'Pet products' means pet food, pet toys, pet treats. And 'pet services' will be things like grooming. That's 'to groom', G-R-O-O-M and means 'to take care of an animal's fur'. You might pay someone to do that for you. Or 'pet boarding'. So basically that's like a pet hotel to put your dog or cat in when you go on holiday. Now of course the 'Paris Hilton style dog in a handbag' type pet ownership is what tends to grab the news headlines. And it's a little bit like that in the BBC News item that I read. Or at least it's that type of pet ownership where the pet is central to the owner's life. And pets get a similar level of attention to that which a child might receive. But this type of pet ownership where the pet is so important is something that you might perhaps associate with affluent middle class Americans. American celebrities perhaps. Or the odd British person. (Maybe I'm an odd British person!) In English our pets, particularly cats and dogs, are often referred to as our 'fur babies'. We treat them like children in other words.
The growth in treating pets ‘as a member of the family’
And this trend has started to be reflected in countries like India. Hence why India's pet care industry has doubled in value in recent years. In the UK we have always been very sentimental, that means 'full of emotion', about our pets, particularly cats and dogs. And this has always been reflected in the fact that our animal charities receive such large donations. The RSPCA was the first animal charity in the world and it was founded in 1824. RSPCA stands for the Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. And they still do very important work. So the UK has a very long history with pet ownership and the idea of pets being considered 'part of the family'. If you look at art - portrait paintings in the 1700s and 1800s, people are often pictured with their animals. But it's interesting to see this rise in pet ownership in India as you might think that it signifies something about where a society is at. Pets are often 'child substitutes'. They stand in place of a child in other words.
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Improve listening skills with clear, natural British English—perfect for learners.
And people often dote on their pets, that's the verb 'to dote', D-O-T-E, which means 'to give lots of love and care and attention to someone or something'. So people 'dote on' their pets, particularly where they're either not ready to have children, they can't have children, or their children have already grown up and left home. If people buy pets when their children are small, it's usually because they want their children to have the experience of owning a pet and taking care of it. But pets can be child substitutes, 'fur babies'.
A sign of the move to being a prosperous country?
And of course people in prosperous countries have fewer children and perhaps therefore more pets. As the BBC News article says, "As late marriages, smaller family sizes and evolving social norms reshape family structures in India, these pets are increasingly being given the care and attention typically reserved for children." In India, like in the UK, people felt the need for companionship during the COVID pandemic and the lockdowns - of course very easily supplied by pets. So in many countries there was a massive rise in pet ownership during those years of the pandemic. Pet ownership per household in the UK rose from 41% in 2020 to 59% in 2021.
Pet statistics in the UK and why we love them
Here's your chance to work on understanding statistics in English. And even in 2023, it was estimated still that 57% of households in the UK owned at least one pet. So pets are pretty common here. It's estimated that there are 38 million pets. And I note that that excludes horses. We're talking here about pets that you keep in the house. So there are half as many pets as there are human beings in the UK. 28% of adults in the UK own a pet dog and 24% of adults own a pet cat.
So it's fairly even in the 'cat and dog wars' with dogs just slightly ahead, an estimated 13.5 million dogs registered in the UK and 12.5 million cats. And you're right, that doesn't add up to 38 million. So other types of pet included in this estimate - 1.5 million birds, 1.3 'domestic fowl' - that means 'chickens and ducks' and similar, 700,000 tortoises and turtles, 1 million rabbits, 700,000 guinea pigs, 600,000 hamsters - that's a 'hamster', H-A-M-S-T-E-R, and 600,000 snakes and other reptiles. I think if you bear in mind how long each animal lives for, 600,000 hamsters is quite a lot as they generally only live for about two years. Cats and dogs of course live into their teens. Personally, I'm a cat and dog person. For me, they have characters and they are capable of rewarding relationships with human beings. And are cats affectionate? Absolutely, in my opinion. Of course, other pet owners would argue the same for their pets, but I know what I prefer. It's cats and dogs for me!
But do you need a prenup for your pet?
Another article, this time in The Conversation, asked, "Should I get a pet nup?" That's P-E-T N-U-P. Vocabulary help here? Well, this phrase 'pet nup' comes from the more well-known expression 'prenup'. And that's short for 'prenuptial agreement'. This is a type of legal contract which sometimes couples draw up before they get married. It protects each person's assets, their belongings in other words, and specifies what happens if the couple separate. That's a 'prenup', very common in the US. So I'd never heard the term 'pet nup' before, but I immediately knew what it meant. I like the way English plays around with language like this. So a 'pet nup' is a legal contract that you draw up that specifies what happens to your pets if you separate as a couple. So dog and cat ownership is now being looked upon as an important milestone in a couple's relationship. Milestones like this are important, especially where people don't necessarily get married.
So the article in The Conversation describes how a case was brought before the law court in Brighton in the UK, and it was a couple contesting the ownership of a dog after they'd separated. The court gave consideration to who paid the bills for the dog and whose name was on the paperwork for the dog. But the court also noted that the woman in the couple had looked after the dog much more and that the dog had bonded with another dog which was hers. So rather like when arrangements are settled in court for children of divorcing parents, the welfare of the animal was considered. This is something quite new.
The article in The Conversation has the headline "How the law deals with your fur baby if you break up with your partner." And this apparently is not just in the UK. There is a move from legally classifying animals as 'possessions' towards them being seen as 'sentient beings'. They have feelings, their welfare needs to be considered. And actually in Spain in 2022, a law was passed which recognised pets as 'sentient beings'. This means that courts can direct the custody arrangements for pets for animals of divorcing partners. Courts have to consider the welfare of the animal just as they would with a child. The word 'custody', C-U-S-T-O-D-Y, means 'the legal right and legal responsibility to look after someone or something'. Similar law changes to that in Spain are being considered in Portugal, France and Switzerland.
We Should Rethink Government Goals | English Listening
### Which countries have the most and the fewest dogs? So what countries of the world have the most dogs per human population? The answer? Hungary, Portugal, Brazil, Australia, the US and Romania have the most dogs. In Hungary there are 29 dogs per hundred people. That's a lot. Also interesting, the countries with the fewest dogs, the lowest pet ownership perhaps. Turkey, Cyprus, Namibia, Switzerland, Greece and Japan. In Turkey there are only 1.61 pet dogs per hundred people. If you visited Istanbul in Turkey, you may be surprised by that figure as there are large numbers of stray dogs roaming there. Apparently, though pet ownership in Turkey is very low, there is a huge problem with stray dogs roaming the streets in packs - as dogs tend to when they're left to look after themselves. And in Turkey a battle is going on between people who think these dogs should be 'culled' that's C-U-L-L-E-D or killed in other words and people who think this is inhumane and another solution should be found. I hate stories like that.
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A sad situation in Turkey - but you can help!
So I couldn't leave you without giving the names of two animal charities who rescue stray dogs from the streets of Turkey and re-home them in other countries. So if you want to adopt a stray dog from Turkey, the first organisation is 'Animal Friends of Turkey' and the second organisation that re-homes dogs from Turkey in other countries, 'Forgotten Dogs of Turkey'.
Goodbye
Links are in the transcript in case you're interested. Hopefully that's thought-provoking, makes you think about your pets perhaps, and is some great practice at country names and statistics.
Enough for now. Have a lovely day. Speak to you again soon. Goodbye.
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