One in four pet owners have created a social media account for their furry friend

dailystar.co.uk:

One in four pet owners have created social media accounts for their furry friends - with many pets having more followers than their owner's page.A study of 2,000 cat and dog owners found that, of those with pet social media accounts, over a third (35%) set it up to show their beloved animals off to the world.Another 34% wanted to enjoy the positive reactions shared over their pets online.These pampered pets have an average of 925 followers - with 89% of owners admitting this is more than they have on their own social networking accounts.However, 42% of adults with personal social media profiles admitted to filling their own feeds with pictures of their pooches and pussycats.The research was commissioned by pet insurer ManyPets, to mark its rebrand from Bought By Many, whose CEO and co-founder Steven Mendel, said: “It’s evident that pets are the nation’s pride and joy.“Whether we’re showing them off on social media or throwing them a birthday party, our four-legged friends deserve the best.“We love that pet owners are passionate about putting their pets first, which is a core value we share as a brand - and our mission is to make the world a better place for pets and their parents.“Our new ManyPets name takes us one step closer towards that goal.”The research revealed social networking isn’t the only place pet owners are showing off pictures of their cherished animals - as two in five (40%) even have more snaps of their pet than they do themselves.And many also admit to having more pet pictures on their phones than of their friends (38%) and parents (36%).In fact, two-thirds would go as far to say they consider their pet to be one of their best friends.And as many as 44% of those who treat their four-legged pals will do.