A new survey finds that pet owners value the opinions of their animals when searching for love.
According to the study by One Poll and the dog-walking website Wag, more than 60 percent of dog owners say that their dogs play a huge role in their romantic relationships. Half of dog owners surveyed say that they wouldn’t even consider being in a relationship with someone who didn’t like their dog.
“If you love an animal together, that’s a good sign,” says Highland Park resident Denise Mayfryer. “I think it’s not a good sign if someone likes an animal and the other person doesn’t like an animal.”
The survey found that 57 percent of dog owners say that a new partner has to win over their furry friend before they would consider falling for them.
Half of the people surveyed said that they would consider it a dating “red flag” if their partner expressed jealousy about the dog or played too rough with the dog.
But would pet owners choose their dogs over their love?
“I would never want to have this choice,” says Highland Park resident Gala Ovsiannikova. “I love my husband, but I love my dog. So what should I do?”
Over half of pet owners say that a potential partner becomes more physically attractive when the person get along with their pets.